This blog largely tries to steer clear of political issues and focuses on the economic ones. So, although this blogger has strong views on the candidates and knows who he would vote for if he had a vote, he will avoid discussing that here. Instead, the focus is strictly on economic policies, which is of course, only one dimension of evaluating any candidate.
Who's the most dangerous of them all economically ? If the pat answer is Marine Le Pen, a more polished version of Trump, think again. Introducing Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the far left candidate who is currently surging in the polls . Nearly 20% of France want him as President .
Here are his economic policies, without comment
- 90% tax rate for those earning more than Euro 400,000 a year
- 273 billion Euros higher spending over 5 years
- 16% rise in minimum wage to Euros 1326 a month (Rs 90,000 a month)
- 35 hour work week.
- Exit the Euro
- Abolish the treaties prescribing a target of deficit to GDP . In other words, simply print money
- Exit EU, a la Britain, if necessary
- Join Alba the economic pact between Cuba and Venezuela. Honourable observers of this pact are Iran and Syria
- Right to housing to become a constitutional right
- Nationalise utility companies