France’s richest man slams proposed billionaire tax
Bernard Arnault, the boss of the richest man of France, attacked two taxes on billionaires as an attack on the French economy, and condemned the architect of the plan as the left.
The tax, which will target the wealth of over 100 million euros ($ A177 million), has gained political traction in France, where Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu was facing a vote of confidence in the Socialist Party or to overthrow his government.
“This is not a technical or economic debate, not a technical or economic debate, but a desire to destroy the French economy,” Arnault said in British. He said.
The architect of the plan accused the economist Gabriel Zucman of being the most left -wing activist “using” fake academic competence “to encourage an ideology aimed at removing the liberal economic system.
Arnault said the liberal economic system is the only one working for everyone’s good. “
Zucman, a professor of France’s Ecole Normal Superire and California University Berkeley, rejected the charges.
X said, “I haven’t been an activist for any movement or party,” he said, and added that his work was based on research, not ideology.
Zucman was among the 300 economists who openly support the economic platform of Populaire Alliance, the left -wing Nouveau front before the legislative elections of 2024.
Recently, he claimed that ultra wealth in media views has paid less taxes in proportion to many other citizens – a gap that the proposed tax aims to close.
The tax has broad public support and a IFOP survey conducted by the Socialist Party in September showed 86 percent approval.
