Stunned since the surprise announcement of the dissolution of the Assemblée Nationale on June 9, business leaders have gradually started to express their opinion on the June 30 and July 7 parliamentary elections. Initially, some called for a strong opposition against the far-right Rassemblement National (RN), but now, most of the rhetoric is focused on pushing back against the "extremes."
Before the hearings with party and coalition leaders on Thursday, June 20, Patrick Martin, the president of the MEDEF, France's leading employers' organization, provided his assessment in an interview published Wednesday on Le Figaro's website: "The Rassemblement National's program is dangerous for the French economy, growth and employment; that of the Nouveau Front Populaire [left wing coalition, NFP] is just as dangerous, if not more so." The boss of bosses is saying out loud what his adherents are whispering half-heartedly: the presence of radical left La France Insoumise (LFI) in the left-wing coalition is concentrating the fears of business circles, which have gradually allowed the anti-RN "cordon sanitaire" to fray.
Apart from the defense industry – where meetings took place, like at Safran – most of the major bosses claim that they have not had any discussions with far-right leaders Marine Le Pen or Jordan Bardella, nor have they been approached by them. However, industry federations and other employers' lobbies act as the connection with France's leading party. "For a very large proportion of them, bosses haven't switched over to the RN, but it's true that they're making do," said Jean-François Rial, CEO of Voyageurs du monde, and one of the pillars of the opposition against the far right.
The big question now is whether the efforts of Eric Ciotti – president of the conservative Les Républicains (LR) party who has been rejected by his party for joining forces with the RN – supported by conservative entrepreneur Vincent Bolloré, will attract major business figures the party needs to establish its credibility in economic matters.
In the meantime, most business leaders are avoiding using overly political labels. For example, over 70 business leaders signed an appeal, speaking in a personal capacity, which was published on Wednesday, June 19, on the Lesechos.fr website. In it, a group of business leaders ranging from Jean-Dominique Senard, president of Renault, to Nicolas Houzé, CEO of Galeries Lafayette, warned that the foundations of the French economy will be threatened "if the partisans of withdrawal and closure, or those of confrontation and radicalism, win in a few weeks' time."
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