Paris (France) (AFP) – He proposes a project to "unite" France but refuses for the moment to declare himself a candidate: François Hollande lists in his new book nearly a hundred proposals, some of which, going against the grain of the socialists' program, seem intended to seduce even the center.

Published on: 03/09/2026 - 12:05 Modified on: 03/09/2026 - 14:18

In "Unir. New world, new left" (Robert Laffont), the former president, who had given up running in 2017 given his very strong unpopularity at the end of his five-year term, believes that we must "change method, perspectives and ambition".

He will not reveal his intentions until December and in the meantime refuses to participate in the left-wing primary, hoping to pose an appeal if the winner of this tie-breaking process collapses.

But "if putting forward ideas is being in the countryside", then "yes", he is in the countryside, he conceded Thursday, at the Châlons-en-Champagne (Marne) fair.

The deputy for Corrèze, who recently debated with the Horizons candidate Edouard Philippe and made an appearance at the PS summer days in Blois, will be next week at the rose festival in Frangy-en-Bresse (Saône-et-Loire), before continuing the signing sessions of his book.

“The challenge is to unite the French”, faced with the bipolarization of society between “extremes which create division” and a tense international situation, where France must assert its independence from the United States and Russia, he explained on Wednesday.

To do this, “we will have to go beyond political groups,” he said in Blois. The one who theorizes the necessity of the "sacred union of the democrats" and recommends seeking from the first round the voters of the center at a time when the macronie is at the end of his reign, assures that he does not want to offer reheated "Holland 2012".

On certain points, he even positions himself against his party, such as on the Zucman tax for the ultra-rich, which in his eyes has become "a slogan. Not an answer" or on pensions.

“Center-right candidate”

While the PS wants to return to a legal starting age of 62, it proposes to set it at 63 and then gradually extend the contribution period.

“The pivotal age must take into account the increase in life expectancy and be constantly corrected,” he justified.

The former head of state also wants to "limit the indexation of pensions to 1% for five years, which would provide a gain equivalent to postponing the retirement age by one year", and "add a share of capitalization", which would be controlled by the social partners.

Enough to make the boss of the socialists Olivier Faure jump: “You will not find me alongside those who defend this model,” he declared in Blois.

Another novelty on the economic level, to improve the pay slip, François Hollande suggests "increasing the net salary by reducing employee contributions". This loss of revenue for social security would then be compensated by a levy on capital, via a "progressiveness of the tax on financial income" and "a progressive increase from 20 to 24% of the normal rate of VAT", although considered by Olivier Faure as "the most unfair tax".

He estimates that this new system would make it possible to “raise salaries by around 10% for everyone”.

And to make the bitter pill pass, he proposes to eliminate the VAT reduced to 5.5%, which applies to food products and energy works, and to do the same, but on an ad hoc basis, for fuels.

He also wants to reduce production taxes by reducing aid to businesses, as proposed by Édouard Philippe.

What to seduce the centrists? François Hollande “articulates ideas which are more compatible than they were” before, recognized the president of the MoDem François Bayrou.

“We have the impression that he is a center-right candidate. It’s an interesting positioning,” notes a Horizons executive, while a candidate in the presidential election notes that he “still speaks very right-wing for a left-wing candidate.”

"I am a socialist", replies the former president, who keeps left-wing markers: he plans to "contribute to large inheritances and assets greater than 10 million euros gross", to increase to 30% the representation of employees on the boards of directors of companies, or to set up a check for 10,000 euros called "entry into life", for young people who will carry out civic service.

© 2026 AFP

The content you are trying to access does not exist or is no longer available.