Fuel prices are a campaign flashpoint seven months before France’s presidential election. Diesel hit a record €2.41 a litre and SP95-E10 petrol topped €2.17 a litre; farmers demonstrated and fishermen blocked oil depots. The government expanded targeted aid.
The surge is amid a global supply shock linked to the Middle East conflict and Strait of Hormuz closure; economist Anna Creti said France’s fuel taxes are higher than in many European countries. Expanded and extended targeted relief costs €450 million, taking fuel aid so far to €1.4 billion. The government proposed a 2027 “fuel golden rule” to redirect extra tax revenue from rising prices to consumers. Roland Lescure said targeted support, rather than broad tax cuts, would continue. France’s deficit is projected at 5.4% of GDP this year and public debt is near 120%.
Marine Le Pen’s National Rally pledged to cut VAT from 20% to 5.5%, a proposal that would infringe EU VAT rules. Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s La France Insoumise proposed caps of €1.70 a litre for petrol and €1.80 for diesel; he argues a VAT cut may not ensure consumers receive the full benefit. Gabriel Attal and Édouard Philippe support measures to ease fuel costs, while Raphaël Glucksmann emphasizes reducing fossil-fuel dependence. Full manifestos have not yet been published.
