The New Popular Front (NFP), the coalition led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon's hard-left France Unbowed along with the Communist, Green, and Socialist parties, emerged victorious in the French parliamentary election. They have committed to rigorously implementing their tax and spending program. 

However, the sweeping changes proposed by the coalition would come with a significant price tag for the French taxpayer, amounting to several billion euros. 

Emmanuel Macron's Renaissance party asserted that the New Popular Front's (NFP) ambitious plan would necessitate taxpayers to fund £242 billion (€287 billion), while French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire estimated a yearly cost of around £84.50 billion (€100 billion) for a similar plan. 

In contrast, the Left coalition itself projected that its proposed measures could incur costs of at least £126 billion (€150 billion) over the next three years. They suggested that funding could be sourced in part from the wealthiest French citizens, particularly if the NFP succeeds in implementing the inheritance tax reforms it advocates for. 

The New Popular Front (NFP) has pledged to implement several ambitious measures, including: 

1. Increasing the wages of civil servants in France by 10 percent. 

2. Expanding the number of civil servants in the health and education sectors. 

3. Promoting more housing initiatives. 

4. Introducing additional holidays. 

5. Providing free organic school meals. 

These commitments reflect the NFP's broad agenda aimed at addressing various social and economic priorities in France. Furthermore, the NFP's program includes advocating for - increasing the minimum wage by 14%, raising it from £1352 to £1690 (€1600 to €2000), lowering the retirement age from 64 to 60, freezing the prices of energy and essential goods. 

In response to these proposals, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire criticised the plan, warning that its implementation could potentially trigger a "financial crisis" and lead to "economic decline" for France. He described the project as exorbitant, ineffective, and outdated, questioning its legitimacy and applicability. 

In contrast, Mr. Jean-Luc Mélenchon emphasised that the NFP is determined to implement the tax and spending program it campaigned on, asserting a firm stance on its policies. 

Image Source: MSN