By Necva Tastan Sevinc<\/p>\n
ISTANBUL (AA) – French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu on Friday laid out the first outlines of his government\u2019s economic program, ruling out a return to the wealth tax (ISF) and expressing skepticism over the proposed \u201cZucman tax\u201d on billionaires.<\/p>\n
Speaking to Le Parisien in his first interview since his appointment on Sept. 9, Lecornu said his guiding principle is to \u201cstart from scratch\u201d on the 2026 budget.<\/p>\n
\u201cMinisters who want to join the government will have to endorse it. It\u2019s the \u2018what\u2019 before the \u2018who,\u2019\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The 39-year-old premier, who has yet to form his Cabinet, acknowledged that he is in a “weak position” without a parliamentary majority but insisted that this reflected France’s new political realities.<\/p>\n
\u201cI told the unions that I am a weak prime minister. But in fact, in a parliamentary democracy, the government is under the control, even the guardianship, of parliament,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
On taxation, Lecornu opposed both the reinstatement of the ISF wealth tax, which was abolished in 2017, and the “Zucman tax,” which the Socialist Party advocates.<\/p>\n
\u201cI do not envisage the return of the ISF,\u201d he said firmly.<\/p>\n
As for the Zucman levy, he argued: \u201cPersonally, I don\u2019t believe in it, for two reasons. The first is that taxing professional assets, factories, machines, and patents would damage jobs and competitiveness. The second is that we need French capital to defend our sovereignty against foreign predations.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said his proposal would \u201cchange the distribution of the burden within current taxes,\u201d with some increasing and others decreasing, but emphasized that \u201cin the end, it is Parliament that will decide.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lecornu also confirmed that he would aim for a 4.7% deficit in 2026, in line with France\u2019s European commitments to bring it back down to 3% by 2029.<\/p>\n
\u201cReducing the deficit to control our debt is not only a European commitment; it is a condition of our sovereignty,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The prime minister said his government would be appointed before the National Assembly\u2019s legislative session begins Oct. 6, ending what has become the longest delay to form a government under the Fifth Republic, BFMTV reported.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are working on it with the president,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n