French lawmaker Mathilde Panot called on Tuesday to ban wealthy citizens who refuse to pay taxes as she outlined her party's economic platform. Speaking on television channel BFMTV-RMC on August 25, the parliamentary leader of the left-wing party La France Insoumise stated that most rich individuals had not earned their fortunes.
Panot accused wealthy citizens in France of choosing to secede from society by failing to contribute to national solidarity. She argued that individuals who refuse to participate in the nation's shared tax burden should face a formal ban from the country.
Her comments echoed statements made over the weekend by European Parliament member Manon Aubry, who called for a ban on billionaires and described ultra-wealthy individuals as harmful to society. Panot, who represents the Val-de-Marne department in the National Assembly, said the vast majority of billionaires were super-inheritors who simply had the good fortune of being born with a silver spoon in their mouth. She reiterated that La France Insoumise intends to confiscate all inherited wealth exceeding 12 million euros.
Panot added that if wealthy French residents attempt to move abroad to avoid taxation, the party would pursue them to levy a differential tax if it takes power. Under this proposal, French citizens living in lower-tax countries would be required to pay the difference back to the French treasury.
Tax platform and economic proposals
The LFI parliamentary leader detailed several core tax measures included in the broader political program of party founder Jean-Luc Mélenchon. These proposals include restoring France's solidarity tax on wealth and implementing the Zucman tax, a global wealth tax proposal designed to target excessive fortunes.
Panot also announced plans to create 14 distinct income tax brackets. The party aims to use the restructured system to reduce tax rates for individuals earning less than 4,000 euros per person.
Panot insisted that current economic disparities are neither moral nor bearable. She highlighted that 960 homeless people died on the streets of France in 2025, including an 11-day-old infant. In contrast, she said the country's 500 wealthiest individuals doubled their fortunes during ten years under President Emmanuel Macron, while others were pushed into severe poverty.
Finance Committee response and legal matters
Éric Coquerel, an LFI lawmaker who serves as chairman of the National Assembly Finance Committee, addressed Aubry's comments during an interview on news channel LCI. Coquerel stated that the true harm lies in the extreme gaps in wealth distribution and unequal tax policy, arguing that such disparities weaken the French republican promise and impose heavy costs on the nation.
Coquerel noted that over the past decade, the assets of France's 500 largest fortunes, comprised primarily of billionaires, doubled in value. During the same interview, Coquerel also commented on a legal investigation targeting Insoumis mayor Bally Bagayoko, dismissing the inquiry and stating that the case would lead to nothing.
