Marine Le Pen plans to introduce tax on foreign work contracts

Marine Le Pen plans to introduce tax on foreign work contracts

French far-right leader wants to introduce a ‘Theresa May’ tax.

By ESTHER KING 2/2/17, 11:52 AM CET Updated 2/2/17, 12:21 PM CET

http://www.politico.eu/article/marine-le-pen-plans-to-introduce-tax-on-foreign-work-contracts/?utm_content=buffer2cc1b&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

French far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen plans to introduce a tax on work contracts for foreigners, she told Le Monde in an interview published Thursday.

“We will apply national preference on employment through an additional tax on all new contracts for foreign employees,” the Front National leader said.

The income would help pay for unemployment benefits, she added.

Florian Philippot, one of Le Pen’s main Front National advisers, called the measure France’s “Theresa May” tax, referring to a similar strategy the British prime minister announced following the country’s vote to leave the European Union.

Le Pen has promised a Brexit-style referendum of France’s EU membership if she wins presidential elections this spring.

According to government statistics for 2014, non-French workers made up 5.5 percent of the country’s salaried workforce.

Referring to her recent refusal to pay back more than €300,000 euro to the European Parliament, Le Pen also reiterated she would not “submit” to what she called an “arbitrary, unilateral decision” aimed at keeping her from exercising her mandate as an MEP.

An investigation by Europe’s anti-fraud watchdog found that Le Pen broke parliamentary rules by having assistants carry out non-Parliamentary work for the National Front while being paid by the EU institution.

A new poll for French newspaper Les Echo predicted Le Pen will make it to the final round in May but will lose to centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron, who is expected to pick up 65 percent of the vote.

Authors:

Esther King