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Proposals
Economic model claimed
Revive activity through incomes (public sector pay index point, benefits, youth guarantee, SMIC) and public spending, funded by taxing « capital financier » [“financial capital”], presented as having no recessionary effect; redirect savings towards investment; the stimulus is meant to increase revenue.
Summary by the editors, without judgement, based on the candidate’s words quoted below. The site validates no economic model. Quotes checked on 15 October 2026.
« Le capital financier a profité et c'est lui qui doit payer. […] Quand on tond un fonds de pension, quand on tond une quelconque institution financière de cette nature, ça ne provoque pas de recul de l'activité. Tandis que quand on prend sur ceux qui produisent, par la force des choses, ça a un impact récessif »
Translation by the editorsFinancial capital has profited and it is the one that must pay. […] When you fleece a pension fund, when you fleece any financial institution of that kind, it does not cause a fall in activity. Whereas when you take from those who produce, inevitably, it has a recessionary impact
« Nous opposons le cercle vertueux de la relance écologique et sociale qui tirera notre pays d'affaires au cercle morbide créé par les budgets macronistes et la démolition de l'État. »
Translation by the editorsWe set the virtuous circle of the ecological and social stimulus that will get our country out of trouble against the morbid circle created by the Macronist budgets and the demolition of the State.
« La première chose, c'est de relancer l'activité par les revenus issus du travail, du moins les revenus sur lesquels le gouvernement a, j'allais dire, la main. »
Translation by the editorsThe first thing is to revive activity through income from work, at least the incomes over which the government has, I was going to say, control.
Effects announced by the candidate, not checked by the editors. They are not added to any amount on the site.
Economic activity raised by about 0.5 point (to be « affiner » [“refined”])« Nous, ce que nous mettons en place, c'est exactement l'inverse. C'est-à-dire que nous allons alimenter l'activité économique et on peut raisonnablement penser que, contrairement au gouvernement qui fait baisser l'activité économique de 0,5 point, nous la ferons monter à peu près d'autant. »
Translation by the editorsWhat we are putting in place is exactly the opposite. That is to say, we are going to feed economic activity, and one can reasonably think that, unlike the government, which is lowering economic activity by 0.5 point, we will raise it by roughly as much.
VAT revenue from €100bn of savings redirected towards investment« Et la politique de réorientation de l'épargne, comme il s'agit de 100 milliards dans le premier budget, […] ça fait donc 18 milliards qui reviennent dans le circuit. »
Translation by the editorsAnd the policy of redirecting savings, since it involves 100 billion in the first budget, […] that makes 18 billion coming back into the circuit.
Deficit reduced by €25bn despite €80bn injected into the economy« Le bilan est très simple. Non seulement nous injectons plus de 80 milliards d'euros dans les carnets de commandes, dans l'économie, dans le pouvoir d'achat, mais du fait que les recettes soient supplémentaires, nous faisons 25 milliards de réduction du déficit. »
Translation by the editorsThe outcome is very simple. Not only do we inject more than 80 billion euros into order books, into the economy, into purchasing power, but because the revenue is additional, we achieve a 25 billion reduction in the deficit.
Contribution receipts from employment and higher wages« Vous avez bien compris qu'une politique de relance, c'est une politique qui crée de l'emploi, qui augmente les salaires. […] Si nous augmentons le point d'indice des fonctionnaires, ça fera des rentrées de cotisation. »
Translation by the editorsYou will have understood that a stimulus policy is a policy that creates jobs, that raises wages. […] If we increase the civil servants' pay index point, that will bring in contribution receipts.
Manuel Bompard, MP for Bouches-du-Rhône, national coordinator of La France insoumise Words of an associate of the candidate: they do not formally commit the candidate.
Abolition of Parcoursup
« Parcoursup, il faut le supprimer, pas juste l'aménager comme ça en plein milieu. »
Translation by the editorsParcoursup has to be abolished, not just adjusted like that, right in the middle.
« Moi ce que je préfère, c'est que le gouvernement annonce la fin de Parcoursup et débloque 10 milliards d'euros sur la rénovation du bâti scolaire. »
Translation by the editorsWhat I would prefer is for the government to announce the end of Parcoursup and release 10 billion euros for the renovation of school buildings.
Fuel: prices frozen at €1.70
« c'est de décider de bloquer les prix, de les ramener à 1,70 €, au prix auquel ils étaient avant le déclenchement de la crise, et de faire payer Total qui n'a pas à se faire des marges extraordinaires dans cette période. »
Translation by the editorsit is to decide to freeze prices, to bring them back to €1.70, the price they were at before the crisis broke out, and to make Total pay, which has no business making extraordinary margins during this period.
« À 16 ans, on vote aux élections prud'homales. À 16 ans, on va en prison. Alors à 16 ans, on doit pouvoir donner son avis, non pas secondairement, mais comme tous les autres, comme citoyen, c'est-à-dire qu'il nous faut le droit de vote à 16 ans »
Translation by the editorsAt 16, you vote in employment tribunal elections. At 16, you go to prison. So at 16, you must be able to give your opinion, not secondarily, but like everyone else, as a citizen, that is to say we need the right to vote at 16
Compulsory negotiations to adjust wages to the cost of living
« La convocation extraordinaire de négociations obligatoires pour pouvoir rétablir un ajustement entre les paies et le niveau du coût de la vie, le blocage des marges. »
Translation by the editorsThe extraordinary convening of compulsory negotiations to restore an adjustment between pay and the level of the cost of living, the freezing of margins.
Mathilde Panot, chair of the La France insoumise group in the National Assembly Words of an associate of the candidate: they do not formally commit the candidate.
Refusal to de-index pensions
« Nous disons qu’il est insupportable qu’on fasse croire que l’outil de redistribution et de partage des richesses se mettrait dans la désindexation des pensions de retraite. Le partage des richesses se fait par l’impôt »
Translation by the editorsWe say that it is intolerable to make people believe that the tool for redistributing and sharing wealth lies in de-indexing pensions. Wealth is shared through taxation
Translation by the editorsthe freezing of prices and the freezing of margins
Margins presented as the cause of rising prices
« ce sont donc bien les marges qui provoquent la hausse des prix plutôt que tout autre événement. »
Translation by the editorsso it is indeed margins that cause prices to rise rather than any other event.
State of social or ecological emergency
« La possibilité, décrite par des conditions objectives particulières, de décréter l'Etat d'urgence sociale ou l'Etat d'urgence écologique »
Translation by the editorsThe possibility, described by specific objective conditions, of declaring a state of social emergency or a state of ecological emergency
« Bloquer les prix, bloquer les marges de profit qui ne peuvent continuer telles qu'elles sont, bloquer les loyers pour ne pas être expulsé avant l'hiver »
Translation by the editorsFreeze prices, freeze profit margins, which cannot continue as they are, freeze rents so as not to be evicted before winter
« remettre de l’ordre dans les comptes publics, puisque nous en sommes capables, en redonnant des marges de manœuvre au budget de l’État »
Translation by the editorsput the public accounts back in order, since we are capable of it, by restoring room for manoeuvre to the State budget
Impartiality of the administration
« un État impartial du guichet au préfet, où nul n’est jugé sur son appartenance politique supposée, son adresse ou sa couleur de peau. »
Translation by the editorsan impartial State from the counter to the prefect, where no one is judged on their supposed political affiliation, their address or the colour of their skin.
Quotes checked on 13 October 2026.
Campaign
Schedule10
Upcoming
Publication of the new edition of the programme « L'Avenir en commun »In bookshops (La Dispute publishing) · eventSources: LCP, 9 October 2026; Campagne de Jean-Luc Mélenchon, 13 October 2026
La France insoumise convention: presentation of the programme by the candidateLe Bourget (Seine-Saint-Denis), exhibition centre · conventionSources: LCP, 9 October 2026; AFP (Bourse Direct), 8 October 2026
Campaign rally on youth and educationClermont-Ferrand (Puy-de-Dôme), Zénith · rallySource: franceinfo, 11 October 2026
Candidates' grand oral (hearing) at the building trade fairBuilding trade fair · eventSource: Blog de Jean-Luc Mélenchon, 28 September 2026
Major interview organised by PoliticoPolitico · broadcastSource: Blog de Jean-Luc Mélenchon, 24 September 2026
Speech in front of the La France insoumise standFête de l'Humanité (Essonne) · rallySources: franceinfo, 13 September 2026; Blog de Jean-Luc Mélenchon, 12 September 2026
Interview with the editorial staff of L'HumanitéFête de l'Humanité (Essonne), Agora stage · broadcastSource: Blog de Jean-Luc Mélenchon, 11 September 2026
See the 2 other past events
Speech for the start of the political season at the Braderie de LilleLille (Nord), braderie (street market) · rallySource: franceinfo, 5 September 2026
First debate between presidential candidates, organised by the Medef (Rencontre des entrepreneurs de France)Paris · debateSource: franceinfo, 28 August 2026
Schedule as of 23 October 2026. Events that ended more than 60 days ago are no longer shown (2 events).
Career and transparency
Career
4 elected offices, 4 posts, 1 occupation
Elected offices
from 28 September 1986 to 27 April 2000Senator for Essonne (elected on 28 September 1986, re-elected on 24 September 1995), until he joined the GovernmentSource: Sénat, 13 October 2026
from 26 September 2004 to 7 January 2010Senator for Essonne (re-elected on 26 September 2004), until his election to the European ParliamentSource: Sénat, 13 October 2026
from 14 July 2009 to 18 June 2017Member of the European Parliament (7th and 8th parliamentary terms)Sources: Parlement européen, 13 October 2026; Parlement européen, 13 October 2026
from 21 June 2017 to 21 June 2022MP for Bouches-du-Rhône (4th constituency), 15th legislatureSource: Assemblée nationale, 13 October 2026
since 2008Founder of the Parti de gauche, after leaving the Parti socialisteSource: Public Sénat (AFP), 16 April 2017
since 10 February 2016Founder of La France insoumise, launched with his candidacy for the 2017 presidential election (announced on 10 February 2016)Sources: Europe 1, 10 February 2016; LCP, 3 May 2026
from 27 June 2017 to 11 October 2021Chair of the La France insoumise group in the National AssemblySource: Assemblée nationale, 13 October 2026
Occupation
Teacher (profession given by the National Assembly; « cadre administratif » (administrative manager) according to the Senate page)Sources: Assemblée nationale, 13 October 2026; Sénat, 13 October 2026
Transparency
3 campaign accounts
Declarations to the High Authority for Transparency in Public Life (HATVP)
Nothing recorded to date.
Campaign accounts
19 December 20122012 presidential electionCompte approuvé après réformationTranslation by the editorsAccount approved after revisionDépenses retenues : 9 427 731 euros ; remboursement dû par l'État : 8 004 225 eurosTranslation by the editorsExpenses accepted: 9,427,731 euros; reimbursement owed by the State: 8,004,225 eurosSource: Journal officiel (Légifrance), “Décision du 19 décembre 2012 relative au compte de campagne de M. Jean-Luc MÉLENCHON, candidat à l'élection du Président de la République des 22 avril et 6 mai 2012”, 30 January 2013
21 December 20172017 presidential electionCompte approuvé après réformationTranslation by the editorsAccount approved after revisionDépenses retenues : 10 241 760 euros ; montant dû par l'État : 6 031 304 eurosTranslation by the editorsExpenses accepted: 10,241,760 euros; amount owed by the State: 6,031,304 eurosSource: Journal officiel (Légifrance), “Décision du 21 décembre 2017 relative au compte de campagne de M. Jean-Luc MÉLENCHON, candidat à l'élection du Président de la République des 23 avril et 7 mai 2017”, 13 February 2018
14 December 20222022 presidential electionCompte approuvé après réformationTranslation by the editorsAccount approved after revisionDépenses retenues : 13 519 579 euros ; montant dû par l'État : 7 629 786 eurosTranslation by the editorsExpenses accepted: 13,519,579 euros; amount owed by the State: 7,629,786 eurosSource: Journal officiel (Légifrance), “Décision du 14 décembre 2022 relative au compte de campagne de M. Jean-Luc MÉLENCHON, candidat à l'élection du Président de la République des 10 et 24 avril 2022”, 27 January 2023
Justice
5 cases, all ongoing
Criminal proceedings in which the person is personally implicated, either ongoing or whose latest decision is less than ten years old, acquittals and dismissals (non-lieux) included. Each step rests on an official decision or statement, or on at least two reference media outlets citing the decision. No mere complaint, no suspicion, no investigative article without a decision.
Incidents during the search of La France insoumise's headquarters on 16 October 2018
Stage as of 13 October 2026: Conviction at first instance, 9 December 2019.
Finality not established: we have not been able to establish whether this decision has been appealed, nor the outcome of any appeal. Any person implicated is presumed innocent until their guilt has been established by a final decision (Article 9-1 of the Civil Code; preliminary article of the Code of Criminal Procedure).
Offences concerned:Poursuites pour « actes d’intimidation envers un magistrat et un dépositaire de l’autorité publique, rébellion et provocation » (20 Minutes) ; condamnation « pour rébellion et provocation » selon le titre du Parisien, « pour intimidation et rébellion » selon le texte du même article.
Translation by the editorsProsecuted for « actes d’intimidation envers un magistrat et un dépositaire de l’autorité publique, rébellion et provocation » [“acts of intimidation against a judge and a person holding public authority, rebellion and provocation”] (20 Minutes); convicted « pour rébellion et provocation » [“for rebellion and provocation”] according to the headline of Le Parisien, « pour intimidation et rébellion » [“for intimidation and rebellion”] according to the text of the same article
· Trial at first instanceBobigny criminal court
Trial on 19 and 20 September 2019, with five other defendants. The prosecution seeks a three-month suspended prison sentence and a fine of €8,000 against him (Le Parisien, 20 Minutes).
Sources: Le Parisien, “Mélenchon et cinq autres Insoumis jugés pour rébellion”, 19 September 2019; Le Parisien, “Procès Mélenchon : trois mois de prison avec sursis requis contre le leader de LFI”, 20 September 2019; 20 Minutes, “Procès de la France Insoumise : « J’ai eu l’attitude adaptée à la violence que je pensais subir » se défend Mélenchon”, 19 September 2019
· Conviction at first instanceBobigny criminal court
Found guilty; one of the five co-defendants is acquitted, the other four are fined. According to Le Parisien and 20 Minutes, he is sentenced to three months' suspended imprisonment and a fine of €8,000. Jean-Luc Mélenchon announces the same day that he will not appeal; whether the prosecution did not appeal could not be established.
Sources: Le Parisien, “Jean-Luc Mélenchon condamné à trois mois de prison avec sursis pour rébellion et provocation”, 9 December 2019; 20 Minutes, “Perquisition houleuse à LFI : Jean-Luc Mélenchon condamné à trois mois avec sursis et 8.000 euros d’amende”, 9 December 2019; 20 Minutes, “Perquisition à LFI : Après les condamnations, Mélenchon et les insoumis veulent « passer à autre chose »”, 9 December 2019
Blog post of November 2016 targeting a former Le Monde journalist
Stage as of 13 October 2026: Conviction at first instance, 24 September 2021.
Finality not established: we have not been able to establish whether this decision has been appealed, nor the outcome of any appeal. Any person implicated is presumed innocent until their guilt has been established by a final decision (Article 9-1 of the Civil Code; preliminary article of the Code of Criminal Procedure).
Offences concerned:Diffamation publique (selon TF1 Info et Sud Ouest)
Translation by the editorsPublic defamation (according to TF1 Info and Sud Ouest)
Means of appeal: Le Monde and franceinfo report on 29 June 2022 that Jean-Luc Mélenchon's lawyers have appealed against the judgment. No appeal decision has been found as at 13 October 2026.
· Conviction at first instanceParis criminal court
Found guilty, on a complaint filed in February 2017 by the journalist. According to TF1 Info (AFP) and Sud Ouest (AFP), he is sentenced to a suspended fine of €500, and ordered to pay the journalist €1,000 in damages and €3,500 in legal costs. His lawyer announces an appeal the same day.
Sources: TF1 Info (AFP), “Jean-Luc Mélenchon condamné pour avoir qualifié d'"assassin repenti" un ancien journaliste du "Monde"”, 24 September 2021; Sud Ouest (AFP), “Jean-Luc Mélenchon condamné pour diffamation envers un ancien journaliste du Monde”, 24 September 2021
Message posted on Facebook in February 2018 targeting a former Le Monde journalist
Stage as of 13 October 2026: Appeal ruling on the civil claims only, 29 June 2022.
Finality not established: we have not been able to establish whether this decision has been appealed, nor the outcome of any appeal. Any person implicated is presumed innocent until their guilt has been established by a final decision (Article 9-1 of the Civil Code; preliminary article of the Code of Criminal Procedure).
Offences concerned:Diffamation (selon Le Monde et franceinfo)
Translation by the editorsDefamation (according to Le Monde and franceinfo)
Means of appeal: No appeal to, or judgment of, the Cour de cassation has been found as at 13 October 2026.
· Appeal ruling on the civil claims onlyParis court of appeal
At first instance (date not established), the criminal court had not found the remarks to be defamatory. The court of appeal rules the remarks defamatory and finds a civil fault: according to Le Monde and franceinfo (AFP), Jean-Luc Mélenchon must pay the journalist one symbolic euro in damages and €2,000 in legal costs. No sentence is reported and no appeal by the prosecution is established: on the basis of the available sources, the decision concerns only civil claims.
Sources: Le Monde, “Jean-Luc Mélenchon condamné en appel pour diffamation envers un ancien journaliste du « Monde »”, 29 June 2022; franceinfo (AFP), “Jean-Luc Mélenchon condamné en appel pour diffamation envers un ex-journaliste du "Monde"”, 29 June 2022
Video posted on Facebook on 19 October 2018 targeting franceinfo journalists
Stage as of 13 October 2026: Conviction at first instance, 11 January 2022.
Finality not established: we have not been able to establish whether this decision has been appealed, nor the outcome of any appeal. Any person implicated is presumed innocent until their guilt has been established by a final decision (Article 9-1 of the Civil Code; preliminary article of the Code of Criminal Procedure).
Offences concerned:Injure publique et diffamation publique.
Translation by the editorsPublic insult and public defamation
Means of appeal: Appeal announced on 11 January 2022 by Jean-Luc Mélenchon's lawyer (franceinfo, RTL). No appeal decision has been found as at 13 October 2026.
· Conviction at first instanceParis criminal court, 17th chamber
Found guilty, in proceedings brought by Radio France, for calling franceinfo journalists « abrutis » [“morons”] and « menteurs » [“liars”]. According to franceinfo and RTL, he is sentenced to a suspended fine of €500 and ordered to pay €3,000 in damages to Radio France. His lawyer announces an appeal.
Sources: franceinfo, “Jean-Luc Mélenchon condamné pour injure publique et diffamation envers Radio France”, 11 January 2022; RTL, “Jean-Luc Mélenchon condamné pour injure publique et diffamation”, 11 January 2022
Videos from October 2018 and passages of a book targeting the former president of the Commission nationale des comptes de campagne et des financements politiques (National Commission on Campaign Accounts and Political Funding)
Stage as of 13 October 2026: Acquittal at first instance, 26 January 2023.
Finality not established: we have not been able to establish whether this decision has been appealed, nor the outcome of any appeal. Any person implicated is presumed innocent until their guilt has been established by a final decision (Article 9-1 of the Civil Code; preliminary article of the Code of Criminal Procedure).
Offences concerned:Diffamation, sur plainte avec constitution de partie civile de l'ancien président de la CNCCFP (Le Figaro, Le Parisien)
Translation by the editorsDefamation, on a complaint with civil-party application by the former president of the CNCCFP (Le Figaro, Le Parisien)
· Acquittal at first instanceParis tribunal judiciaire (judicial court), 17th chamber
Acquittal. The court declares the complaint with civil-party application « nulle » [“void”]; according to the court, the remarks prosecuted « ne dépassent pas les limites admissibles de la liberté d'expression » [“do not exceed the admissible limits of freedom of expression”], and, for the passages of the book « Et ainsi de suite », Jean-Luc Mélenchon may benefit « de l'excuse de la bonne foi » [“from the defence of good faith”] (Le Figaro, Le Parisien).
Sources: Le Figaro (AFP), “Jean-Luc Mélenchon relaxé de poursuites en diffamation”, 26 January 2023; Le Parisien (AFP), “Jean-Luc Mélenchon relaxé de poursuites en diffamation”, 26 January 2023