France's Macron takes on critics over 'vague' programme

France's centrist presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron gave the first clear outlines of his economic programme Friday, promising a mix of public spending cuts and fresh investment to stimulate sluggish growth.

The 39-year-old former economy minister has surged from outsider to a frontrunner ahead of elections in April and May but faces constant criticism from rivals that his policy platform is too vague.

Giving figures for the first time for his pro-business agenda, he promised to cut 60 billion euros ($63.5 billion) from state spending over five years and aims to reduce the public payroll by 125,000 people.

While proposing to extend France's unemployment benefits system to the self-employed, he also said he would withdraw payments for people who twice turned down jobs that they were qualified for.

"I want a system of rights and responsibilities," Macron told RMC radio.

The pledge to trim the size of the state was coupled with a promise of a new 50-billion-euro stimulus plan designed to boost the French economy, which grew by 1.1 percent last year.

Mathieu Plane, a senior economist at the independent French Economic Observatory at Sciences Po university in Paris, said the proposals positioned Macron between his rivals.

Leftist candidates Jean-Luc Melenchon and Benoit Hamon as well as far-right leader Marine Le Pen have pledged new public spending initiatives, while conservative rival Francois Fillon is promising a dose of austerity.

"Macron has positioned himself as a relatively moderate alternative," he told AFP.

Erik Nielsen, an analyst at banking group UniCredit, said he liked the measures, reflecting the financial markets' generally favourable opinions of the former investment banker. 

"It's close to the Scandinavian model, which has worked very well," he told AFP.

- Leftist alliance -

The latest poll published late Thursday showed a gain for Macron, who sewed up a potentially vital alliance with fellow centrist Francois Bayrou on Wednesday. 

Other recent polls have shown Macron and Fillon neck-and-neck.

The poll by Ifop-Fiducial showed far-right leader Le Pen winning the first round with 26.5 percent and Macron coming second with 22.5 percent, ahead of conservative Francois Fillon on 20.5 percent.

Le Pen and Macron would then go head-to-head in a run-off on May 7 which Macron would win by 61 percent to 39 percent if it were held today, the poll forecast.

Le Pen refused on Friday to attend scheduled questioning by investigating magistrates about claims she broke the rules on the use of European Parliament funds by using the money to pay for staff in France.

She told AFP she would not speak to anti-corruption investigators during the campaign because she feared she would not get a fair hearing.

The election remains highly uncertain, with analysts cautioning against predictions after a series of surprises in France and abroad that have wrong-footed observers.

The unstable international background -- from Donald Trump and Brexit to the surge of rightwing nationalism -- is mirrored by an anti-establishment and angry mood in France.

France's leftist candidates, who between them have enough supporters to mount a serious challenge, are advancing towards a common front ahead of the first round on April 23.

On Thursday, environmentalist Yannick Jadot dropped out of the race and threw his support behind Socialist candidate Benoit Hamon, while Communist-backed Melenchon said he was "open to discussion" on an alliance.

Hamon welcomed Melenchon's gesture while implying he was the only candidate that could unite the fractured left.

"I respect Jean-Luc Melenchon and his great intelligence, but my conviction is that in the work we have to do talking to all parts of the left, I have a central role that enables me to undertake this," Hamon told France 2 television.

Hamon's signature proposal is creating universal basic income -- a state welfare payment for all adults -- which he says would cost around 300 billion euros a year.

Melenchon has proposed an investment plan of 100 billion euros financed by government borrowing and a 90-percent income tax on top earners.

Macron will unveil his full programme on March 2.

As part of his economic plan, he pledged to reduce taxation on companies from 33.3 percent to the European average of 25 percent, while proposing the elimination of housing tax for the majority of French citizens.

He said he would not change the highly contentious retirement age, increased to 62 for most people in the private sector under former president Nicolas Sarkozy.

Source: AFP