Perhaps even more than culture, the Overseas Territories are absent from the programs of several candidates for the presidential election (April 10 and 24).
Nathalie Arthaud (Lutte Ouvrière), Philippe Poutou (New Anti-Capitalist Party) and Jean Lassalle (Résistons!) do not address this issue in their proposals, while others, like Emmanuel Macron (La République en Marche ) or Éric Zemmour (Reconquête!) have added this chapter to their program in the home stretch of the campaign.
For the others, the proposals are most often summed up in a few lines, with the exception of Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon.
Overview of the proposals presented by the candidates.
A choice that may seem debatable when the
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No specific proposals for the Overseas Territories.
The candidate of Debout la France wishes first of all to promote the Overseas Territories by making the Minister of the Sea and Overseas Territories a Minister of State and by increasing his place in the television programs of the public service but also in the textbooks.
Nicolas Dupont-Aignan proposes to launch major "catch-up plans" by upgrading the drinking water networks, by undertaking a plan for the construction and renovation of primary schools or by fighting against illiteracy (the fact of being schooled but not mastering French) – in 2019, 11.8% of young people aged 16 to 26 encountered difficulties in the field of reading in France, compared to 30% in Guadeloupe, Martinique and Reunion , according to an information report of the National Assembly.
At the economic level, the Member of Parliament for Essonne wishes to strengthen the tax exemption for investments made in Overseas France in sectors with a future or driving forces in terms of economic development and job creation.
The sea holds a central place in his proposals: he thus intends to provide the French Navy with the means necessary for the surveillance of exclusive economic zones and the boarding of pirates, to increase the surface area of marine protected areas (MPA) and to initiate a national program research and development aimed at identifying sources of wealth creation from marine biodiversity.
Finally, Nicolas Dupont-Aignan wishes to set up an Indian-Oceanic Erasmus (university exchange) program with Madagascar, the Union of the Comoros and the Seychelles and proposes to halve the price of plane tickets between France and Overseas for all ultramarines.
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The socialist candidate wants the state to reinvest in the overseas territories.
“The shortcomings of public services (education, health, security) and investment in infrastructure (water, renewable energies, roads) will be the subject of a recovery plan,” says its program.
To fight against the high cost of living, Anne Hidalgo proposes to reduce the dock dues (tax applicable on products imported from overseas) on certain essential products and assures that the Competition Authority will take "reinforced action".
For young people, she proposes the creation of a "return agency" to allow young people from overseas to "return home with optimal employment and life prospects".
The mayor of Paris also wants to put the Overseas "at the forefront of ecological action" of France, by launching a "major plan for the development of renewable energies to enhance the considerable potential of the Overseas in this area" .
It also intends to take emergency measures, "from 2022", concerning chlordecone (pesticide used for almost twenty years on banana crops in Guadeloupe and Martinique, toxic to humans and causing lasting pollution of water and soil ) in Martinique and sargassum (drying and piling up, these algae release ammonia and hydrogen sulphide) in the Caribbean: "
As with all of his program, Yannick Jadot focuses his measures targeting the Overseas Territories under the ecological prism.
He first wishes to guarantee "food autonomy in Overseas France" by strengthening "support for overseas communities in depollution and the implementation of sustainable food plans" and by guaranteeing "the supply of the outermost regions into essential agricultural products.
Against the high cost of living, he wants to control the prices of basic necessities and central purchasing.
The environmentalist candidate also intends to strengthen compensation for victims of state health scandals in the Overseas Territories linked to pesticides and access to information for victims.
Against ecocides, his program proposes to put an "immediate" end to the Montagne d'Or and Espérance projects in Guyana and promises to ban mining projects in the Overseas Territories.
Finally, Yannick Jadot proposes to adapt the institutional structures to the realities of the Overseas Territories, thanks to an annual law "updating the Overseas Law", by transmitting to the Prime Minister and the parliamentary assemblies proposals for legislative or regulatory modifications. presented by the overseas territories and by allowing the definition of specific statutes for those of the overseas territories who would like it.
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No specific proposals for the Overseas Territories.
The far-right candidate develops in her program many specific measures for the Overseas Territories and promises a major program law for the next fifteen years.
First of all, Marine Le Pen makes the sovereignty of the French maritime space and the control of the borders a priority.
It therefore proposes to increase the number of border police in French Guiana and Mayotte and to do the same for the Anti-Narcotics Office in the West Indies.
Regarding the economy, Marine Le Pen proposes the appointment of a High Commissioner for Economic Cooperation, the creation of an Agency for Overseas Investments "which will draw on the resources of Business France to ensure the promotion of the overseas economy", the development of sectors linked to the sea, the possibility of carrying out prospecting operations, in particular for rare earths, "strategic assets of the 21st century", the upscaling of the tourist or the introduction of a tax on the exploitation of mining or fossil resources "whose proceeds will be allocated to local communities".
As for the high cost of living, it proposes to reform the dock dues (tax applicable to products imported from overseas).
On the education side, Marine Le Pen promises a reduction in the number of primary classes in Guyana and Mayotte, an increase in French hours in primary school and college in Mayotte, the establishment of compulsory French courses and free for the parents of pupils who do not master it or do so poorly, a plan for the construction of schools and colleges and more teachers.
The candidate of the National Rally also plans to set up a medical and scientific committee responsible for taking stock of the pathologies caused by chlordecone, to solve the problem of sargassum.
Finally, she promises to lead discussions to change the status of New Caledonia and to make the culture of the Overseas Territories better known in France.
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The outgoing president wishes to encourage the overseas departments and territories that can to achieve energy and food autonomy, in particular by developing short circuits and sectors geared towards high-end exports.
Emmanuel Macron also promises to initiate reflection on the causes of the high cost of living suffered by many overseas residents, citing the stimulation of competition and the dock dues, "a tax inherited from the 17th century and which must be deeply rethought to play a new role.
It also intends to launch a "youth plan" and, more particularly, a "heritage renovation plan" in order to "promote the 'Martinique' brand".
The president-candidate finally intends to reaffirm the sovereignty of France, whether to "move forward" in New Caledonia or to fight against illegal immigration and insecurity in Mayotte and Guyana.
The candidate from the radical left wishes to place the Overseas Territories at the forefront of his ecological planning and his universalist diplomacy.
On the first point, he promises to introduce a customs shield via a kilometer tax in favor of local production with a low ecological footprint, to apply a commercial preference for overseas products to France and Europe, to forge partnerships balanced trade with regional neighbours, to move towards food self-sufficiency and to promote energy self-sufficiency plans.
On universalist diplomacy, Jean-Luc Mélenchon wants to make the Overseas Territories regional centers of co-development which would be used to transfer technologies to neighboring countries, to provide logistical and scientific aid, to set up cooperation military peacekeepers and to establish high-level training courses for overseas students and those from neighboring countries.
The candidate from rebellious France also plans to support the teaching of overseas languages and cultures, to integrate into national school programs the teaching of the history of the history of the Overseas.
Finally, he promises to cancel for good the Golden Mountain project in French Guiana (a project carried out by a Russian-Canadian consortium providing for the total deforestation of 1,513 hectares).
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The Republican candidate rarely addresses overseas in her program.
However, it proposes the creation of an Overseas Bank to finance investments in promising sectors (particularly the marine economy and renewable energies) and to create jobs.
Valérie Pécresse also promises a "plan to fight against the high cost of living", a "major hospital plan" and a "convergence program towards real equality", without however detailing them.
She finally publicly mentioned an "Overseas sports plan" to "compensate for the lack of equipment".
She wishes to promote "the maintenance of champions on site, while facilitating travel in France and their participation in courses or competitions in nearby countries".
No specific proposals for the Overseas Territories.
The communist candidate, who wants to establish a national holiday to celebrate "human emancipation and the freedom of the peoples" of Overseas, promises to organize conferences in each overseas territory with elected officials and populations with the aim of putting an end to "differences in wages, social benefits, paid holidays, economic and social and cultural rights with France".
He also promises a specific law "in order to make up for the delays of all territories in public services" and another law to finance social housing.
Fabien Roussel also wishes to promote a "voluntary" policy of industrial and agricultural development and development of the economy of the sea. He intends to review the tax policy specific to Overseas "in order to lower taxes on products first need".
Finally, the deputy from the North, presidential candidate, intends to move towards "more autonomy" so that each territory can "establish co-development relations with the countries of their geographical area".
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The far-right candidate promises to establish a health plan for the Overseas Territories and wants to make the water issue a priority, by developing infrastructure and access to water.
Éric Zemmour wishes to fight against unemployment by developing agriculture, tourism and the economy of the sea. In this area, he proposes to remove the waters of the overseas departments from the European fisheries policy.
Finally, he wants to preserve the sovereignty of France by strengthening the maritime military presence, border control to fight against illegal immigration and drug trafficking, and by putting "a definitive end to the independence referendums".
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