Presidential election 2027: Édouard Philippe wants to reduce unemployment benefits for those under 50 to 12 months

Édouard Philippe wants to tighten unemployment insurance rules. The Horizons candidate for the 2027 presidential election proposes limiting the maximum compensation period to twelve months for job seekers under 50, compared to eighteen months currently for those under 55.

“On unemployment insurance, my approach is to follow Germany’s model: a maximum of twelve months of benefits for those under 50,” the former Prime Minister told AFP in an interview before his address this Thursday at the Medef’s back-to-work conference. This proposal is part of an economic strategy aimed at strengthening incentives to return to work.

"End the free-for-all of sick leave"

Édouard Philippe also wants to overhaul the sick leave system. Denouncing a nearly 40% increase in its cost between 2019 and 2025, he wants to strengthen the waiting period for short-term sick leave. The candidate specifically mentions the possibility that the first, or even the first two, days of a short-term absence would not be compensated. He also proposes establishing a minimum period of three to six months between sick leave and a negotiated termination agreement in order to combat what he calls "sick leave blackmail."

The mayor of Le Havre also intends to reassure business leaders regarding the transfer of family businesses. He defends the maintenance of the Dutreil pact, which he considers essential to provide visibility for entrepreneurs in the face of a significant wave of business transfers.

Finally, Édouard Philippe stated his "complete disagreement" with proposals to significantly increase inheritance taxes, particularly those advocated by Jean-Luc Mélenchon . Eight months before the presidential election, the Horizons candidate is thus gradually outlining a liberal economic platform focused on labor, controlling social spending, and supporting businesses.