Gabriel Attal announced Tuesday that he plans to cut taxes and get rid of costly bureaucracy, in his first policy statement as French prime minister, reports Politico.
Attal and French president Emmanuel Macron are currently trying to navigate a political crisis sparked by farmers’ protests across France.
Tuesday’s announcements are an attempt to assuage unhappy farmers and provide a boon to France’s middle class, as Macron’s government hopes to gain ground among French conservatives.
Speaking before the French National Assembly, Attal vowed to “lift the burden” of rules and regulations for small business owners, slash red tape and reduce payroll taxes in a bid to encourage employers to give raises to minimum wage workers.
Attal also confirmed a total of €2 billion in tax cuts for the middle class, a move which was first announced earlier this month by Macron.
“Our farmers embody our fundamental values,” Attal said, lauding their “strong work ethic and entrepreneurial freedom.” Farmers have been blockading highways across France in recent weeks, asking for concrete measures to cut regulations and costs, and improve their living conditions.