The PS-Public Place candidate for Europeans Raphaël Glucksmann wants to “impose taxation on the highest assets on the scale of the European continent”, in order to finance in particular the ecological transition.
“We are in the process of collecting signatures all over Europe, with our German friends, with our Italian friends,” explained the candidate leading the left in the polls on franceinfo. “The challenge is not simply to restore the ISF in France, it is to have a tax on the scale of the European continent” aimed at the “richest 0.1%”, the only “multimillionaires and billionaires” who “today (have) “a real tax rate which is actually close to 0.5%”.
The objective of this “European RIC” (citizen initiative referendum) is to “supplement the European Union’s own resources” so that “Europe invests in social projects” against “climate collapse” thanks to a “European budget”.
“We already need to obtain a million signatures so that the European Commission, in interaction with Parliament, can discuss the basis,” he said, convinced of “getting there”.
The European Union, however, has limited jurisdiction over direct taxation of individuals unless it affects the internal market such as tax evasion or the taxation of savings. Furthermore, it is a subject which requires the unanimity of the 27.
“Together we will ensure that the European Union carries this tax on the highest assets,” insisted the candidate.
According to him, the taxation of superprofits, currently under debate in France amid the spiraling public deficit, corresponds to a transition to a “war economy” when Russia invaded Ukraine more than two years ago.
“I saw that a minister of the economy had doubts about the definition of a super profit, it is extremely clear in economics (…) a super profit is a profit which is not based on no gain in competitiveness, on no rational explanation other than the general geopolitical situation, so it is war profiteering,” explained Raphal Glucksmann.
“This taxation of super war profits, this taxation of the highest assets, was part of a self-defense mechanism for our nations,” he added.