The establishment of a minimum threshold of resources, a kind of shield against extreme poverty, has become a real marker of the left, present in almost all the programs on this side of the political spectrum. We are quite far, however, from a true basic, universal and unconditional income.
The universal subsistence income: this was, in 2017, one of the flagship proposals of Benot Hamon, the first president to integrate into his program the idea of a income paid by the State to all, without conditions, a sort of payment for the contribution of each citizen to the common good. We can not say that it brought him luck, since the candidate of the Socialists and Ecologists had been eliminated in the first round, with 6.36% of the votes.
Five years later, what has become of this idea, considered by some to be the next great social conquest? She has clearly become a partisan marker. All the candidates claiming to be from the left have thus integrated a measure that resonates with Benot Hamon’s project. All … except Anne Hidalgo, the socialist candidate of 2022.
From single to double depending on the candidates
The version of the basic income proposed by the candidates on the left, by Yannick Jadot Nathalie Arthaud, is however a largely dulcore version of real basic incomeas defended in particular by the French Movement for a Basic Income (MFRB). This, in fact, is in essence unconditional and universal. Clearly, it is for everyone, regardless of age, regardless of income and without consideration. In 2017, Benot Hamon tried to approach this ideal, before backing down and integrating his project into an income condition.
In 2022, no candidate goes that far. More than a universal income, they all offer a shield against great poverty. Ecologists talk about citizen income, La France Insoumise guarantee of autonomy or even pre-salary autonomy to the New Anti-capitalist Party (NPA). The principle is the same: set a minimum amount of resources applicable to the entire population, but subject to income conditions. Clearly, to facilitate access to increased social minima.
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Relatively homogeneous in principle, the proposals diverge on the other hand on this minimum amount, which ranges from simple to double. Yannick Jadot’s citizen income, towards automatically, is fixed 918 euros. Jean-Luc Mlenchon, for his part, wedges his guarantee of autonomy on the poverty line, i.e. 1102 euros per month for a single person. The pre-salary of autonomy of Philippe Poutou takes another reference, the SMIC. But a minimum wage of 1800 euros, one of the promises made by the anti-capitalist candidate. The planned pre-salary is thus equal to 75% of this revalued minimum wage, i.e. 1350 euros per month. The most generous, finally, is Nathalie Arthaud. In her project, the Trotskyist candidate indicates that no salary, no allowance, no pension should be less than 2000 euros per month.
Right and center, targeted boosts
And straight and center? Unsurprisingly, there are few traces of a desire to fight extreme poverty through redistribution. Only certain categories of the population – those under 25, retirees, people with disabilities depending on the case – are targeted by Jean Lassalle, Valrie Pcresse, Marine Le Pen, Nicolas Dupont-Aignan or even Eric Zemmour.
As for outgoing President Emmanuel Macron, he proposes to establish a stand with the source, based on the source tax principle. No promise of revaluation, therefore, but the will to fight against non-recourse by allowing the automatic payment of social benefits.
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(1) The PS candidate has integrated a minimum youth program into her programme, open to all young people over the age of 18 subject to means testing, without detailing the amount.