Legislative elections 2024: Impact of the candidates’ programs on infrastructure in France

Discover the analysis of our lawyers Caroline Ruiz Palmer and Magalie Dejoux.

 

Context

After the French President announced the dissolution of the National Assembly on June 9, the first round of legislative elections occurred on June 30. French voters will return to the polls this Sunday, July 7, for the second round.

 

In the first round, the Rassemblement National and its allies led with 33.4% of the vote, as per the final results published by the Ministry of the Interior. The Nouveau Front Populaire came in second with 27.98%, followed by Ensemble with 20.76%, and Les Republicains along with various right-wing parties securing 10.23%.

 

On June 30, 76 MPs were elected in the first round, leaving 501 seats to be filled.

 

Following the results of the first round, what proposals for infrastructure did the main political “blocs” put forward?

 

Although the theme of infrastructure is not dealt with to any great extent in the programs of the main political parties, it is nevertheless possible to identify certain directions through the programs and public declarations of the candidates of the main political blocs.

 

 

 

Ensemble (presidential majority)

The presidential camp’s program focuses mainly on energy-related infrastructure:

 

• Construction of 14 new nuclear reactors to ensure France’s energy independence and move towards a carbon-free economy. Their construction will be accelerated by law no. 2023-491 of June 22, 2023.
• Continued support for local investment in ecological transition through the €2 billion “Green Fund” scheme, effective from January 1, 2023, aimed at accelerating ecological transition in territories. It is intended to finance projects presented by local authorities and their public or private partners.

 

Ensemble is also supporting the completion of Highway A69 and the Lyon-Turin tunnel.

 

Funding allocations to local authorities will remain stable. However, concrete proposals for the renewal and decarbonization of existing infrastructures are lacking.

 

 

Les Républicains (LR)

In terms of infrastructure, Les Républicains have unveiled a program resolutely focused on energy-related projects, including:

• Supporting the nuclear industry through the construction of new nuclear power plants, maintaining all existing nuclear plants, and investing to extend the lifespan of current facilities.
• Abolishing taxes on electricity to finance the development of the wind energy sector.

 

Overall, the program is concentrated exclusively on energy infrastructure, without addressing the question of how to finance these initiatives.

 

Les Républicains also support the Lyon-Turin tunnel project, but make no joint position known on the Highway A69 project.

 

 

Nouveau Front Populaire (Communists, LFI, Ecologists, Socialists)

The program of the Nouveau Front Populaire includes the following proposals:

 

• Energy: Development of renewable energies, opposition to the privatization of hydroelectric dams and an end to the financing of fossil fuel projects.

• Water: Adoption of a moratorium on mega-basins and transition to public water management via local water boards.

• Transport: Renationalization of the motorway network, moratorium on major motorway projects (notably Highway A69), implementation of a rail and freight plan with the creation of regional express services, moratorium on the closure of small rail lines and renationalization of SNCF freight.

 

The Nouveau Front Populaire is divided on the Lyon-Turin tunnel project, with divergent positions coexisting among its members.

 

 

 

Rassemblement National (RN)

The RN’s project is structured around the following proposals:

 

• Energy: Investment in hydroelectric dams to increase their production capacity, nuclear power, conversion of coal-fired power plants to biomass, and development of green technologies such as hydrogen and geothermal energy, as well as a moratorium on the construction of new wind farms.
• Water: Renovation of water distribution networks to reduce line losses and improve quality.
• Transport: Renationalization of the state-owned highway network, whose management and operation is currently entrusted to private companies via concessions. According to the RN, this initiative would reduce toll prices by “10 to 15%”. The party has also announced the abolition of Low Emission Zones (ZFE), urban areas where access is reserved for the least polluting vehicles in order to reduce air pollution.

 

The RN also supports the completion of the Highway A69 project.

 

With regard to the Lyon-Turin tunnel project, the RN, although historically opposed to the project, seems to have recently modified its position.

 

 

Conclusion

Although infrastructure is not the central theme of election platforms, the candidates’ proposals will have a definite impact on existing and future infrastructure in France, particularly energy-related infrastructure, which remains a major issue.

 

The various proposals could also lead to changes in the way existing infrastructures are managed (nationalization, privatization, régie…). Similarly, these proposals could slow down or delay (in the case of a moratorium, for example) as well as stimulate infrastructure renewal.

 

However, without details of how these proposals will be implemented, and in particular how they will be financed, their real impact remains uncertain. Major projects, such as Highway A69 or the Lyon-Turin tunnel, will continue to be divisive issues in the public debate.