Paris, France. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen met leading French business figures at a dinner in central Paris this month, with discussions turning tense over her euroscepticism and plans to reverse a contested pension reform, according to two sources.
Off-the-record dinner signals shift in business engagement
The April 7 dinner at the Drouant restaurant was described as a symbolic breakthrough for Le Pen, who has long been shunned by France’s business elite, ahead of a presidential election next year to replace President Emmanuel Macron.
For years, French blue-chip companies avoided engaging with Le Pen’s National Rally (RN), but with polls indicating the party could win the election, they are now seeking to understand and influence its populist economic agenda.
The invitation was made by Entreprise et Cite, an informal grouping for business leaders to hold off-the-record exchanges.
Bardella expected to meet employers’ union as election dynamics evolve
RN party chairman Jordan Bardella did not attend the dinner, which was first reported by weekly magazine Le Nouvel Obs, but is due to meet France’s main employers’ union, Medef, next week.
Bardella, 30, is expected to be the RN’s presidential candidate if Le Pen fails in her appeal to overturn a court ruling barring her from running in the election.
Medef says it cannot ignore RN
Medef boss Patrick Martin told reporters on Wednesday that the group could no longer ignore the RN and needed to understand its economic programme.
“We will have to talk to representatives of the National Rally,” Martin said. “But that certainly does not mean we have taken sides with one party over another.”
RN lawmaker Matthias Renault welcomed the stance, saying it showed companies were thinking ahead.
“At the very least, it shows that the companies in question are thinking ahead,” Renault told Reuters. “At a minimum, they’re considering how to deal with the RN, how to engage with us, or even how to influence us.”
Executives from major firms attended
Two sources with knowledge of the event said the dinner included around six of France’s biggest names, including LVMH chief executive Bernard Arnault.
The business leaders also included the chief executives or chairs of TotalEnergies, Engie and Renault, the sources said.
What do you think this increased engagement between major French companies and the RN could change ahead of next year’s election?
