FRANCE: Candidates Speak On Economic Plans In Front Of Business Leaders

The Movement of the Enterprises of France, the Confederation of Small and Medium Enterprises, and the Union of Local Businesses are holding a conference quizzing senior officials from the various political parties and alliances ahead of the 30 June legislative elections. Far-right Rassembelement National (National Rally, RN) leader Jordan Bardella has just started his session, set to run to around 1115CET (0515ET, 1015BST). He will be followed by incumbent Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire on behalf the President Emmenuel Macron's centrist Ensemble bloc from 1115-1200CET (0515-0600ET, 1015-1100BST), and then Bruno Retailleau from the conservative Lres Republicains from 1200-1245CET (0600-0645ET, 1100-1145BST). Livestream can be found here. 

• Bardella says “France is at a crossroads”, and that he deplores "the budgetary unreason in which we have been plunged since 2017"  which "poses a risk of economic decline".
• Earlier, Eric Coquerel a deputy from the far-left La France Insoumise - which will run as party of the broad leftist New Popular Front in the legislative elections - said that should the NFP emerge with a majority it would not seek to take France out of the eurozone. Also said the NFP would not revise plans to build new nuclear power stations - saying that is an issue for the presidency. Claims that the NFP's economic programme would be paid for by increased tax revenues and stronger growth. Coquerel, an economic advisor for the NFP, said that "I think that overall our budget deficit won't be worse than what the current government foresees,"