French presidential hopeful Melenchon pledges economic stimulus, renews NATO exit call

By Petra Wischgoll

LE BOURGET, France, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Jean-Luc Melenchon criticised NATO and "American wars" while pledging an economic stimulus-led revival on Saturday as he unveiled his 2027 presidential programme at a rally in the northern Paris suburb of Le Bourget.

Setting out his economic programme, Melenchon said his anti-capitalist France Unbowed (LFI) party would do the opposite to President Emmanuel Macron.

"We are going to do exactly the opposite — that is to say, a policy of stimulus," he told some 17,000 supporters, according to campaign director Manuel Bompard.

"First, through consumer spending, because in our country that accounts for more than half of economic activity. And secondly, through billions (of euros) that already exist. They are savings that must be channelled towards our country's ecological and social needs."

Melenchon, 75, is viewed as the strongest contender on the left, and recent opinion polls have shown him reaching the presidential runoff next April against Marine Le Pen of the far right. But they also indicate he would lose in the second round.

His manifesto, titled "L'Avenir en commun" ("A Shared Future"), is the fifth edition of LFI's programme and largely reaffirms policies that have underpinned Melenchon's previous presidential bids.

Among the programme's flagship pledges is to repeal Macron's pension overhaul, which gradually raised France's minimum retirement age from 62 to 64 in an effort to shore up public finances. LFI says it would restore retirement at 60 for people who have contributed to the system for 40 years.

Melenchon said an immediate response to the cost-of-living crisis should include measures to "freeze prices, raise the minimum wage, index wages to inflation."

LFI's programme calls for increasing the net monthly minimum wage to €1,700 ($1,890) from around €1,480, abolishing the flat tax on capital income, raising taxes on the wealthiest households and capping prices for essential foods.

On foreign policy, Melenchon's programme reiterates his long-standing criticism of NATO and calls for France's gradual withdrawal from the alliance, beginning with an exit from its integrated military command.

"We have no business being in NATO, nor in American wars," Melenchon said. "France must build a global front of non-aligned countries."

Melenchon's programme also reiterates his support for a gradual phase-out of nuclear power in favour of a fully renewable electricity system, including scrapping the planned EPR2 programme of the planned new generation of state-backed nuclear reactors and not extending the lifespan of nuclear plants beyond 60 years.

It also criticises German influence on EU economic policy, describing Berlin as Europe's chief defender of "ordoliberalism", an economic philosophy centred on strict budget rules, price stability and independent monetary policy.

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