Critical metals and industry : les propositions des candidats à la présidentielle 2027

More than 85% of global rare earth separation capacity is concentrated in a single country, according to the Ministry of the Economy. The State is backing projects in Lacq, La Rochelle and Grenoble with 180 million euros. Few candidates detail this issue, which is often addressed from the angle of reindustrialisation.

Marine Le Pen

No specific measure on critical metals. The RN advocates industrial sovereignty through taxation and public shareholding.

Take a specific State stake in Atos, ArcelorMittal and Opella.
Abolish the CFE, C3S and CVAE to lighten production taxes.
Review free trade agreements to counter unfair competition (2022 programme).
Create a French sovereign fund financed by savings (2022 programme).

Jean-Luc Mélenchon

LFI advocates public planning of strategic sectors and strict regulation of mining activities.

Create public poles in strategic sectors, including energy and medicines.
Create a relocation agency tasked with drawing up plans for each strategic sector.
Introduce a moratorium on deep-sea mining.
Impose a moratorium on plant closures in the automotive sector (October 2026).

Édouard Philippe

No measure published on critical metals. Édouard Philippe addresses sovereignty through taxation and trade protection.

Cut production taxes by 50 billion euros, offset by fewer public subsidies.
Introduce a carbon price at European borders to protect industry.
Raise the number of engineering graduates from 40,000 to 100,000 per year.
Adopt a “Buy European Tech Act” and joint technology purchasing.

Raphaël Glucksmann

Raphaël Glucksmann is one of the few candidates to detail a strategy on critical metals.

Develop sobriety, reuse and recycling of critical metals.
Open new mines and refineries in France under strict environmental standards.
Relocate battery production, with customs barriers against China.
Moratorium on exploiting the deep seabed and ban on polar extraction.

David Lisnard

No measure published on critical metals. David Lisnard links reindustrialisation, nuclear energy and tax cuts.

Abolish the C3S and CVAE.
Free up industrial land and oppose the zero net artificialisation target.
Create a European pharmaceutical consortium modelled on Airbus.
Relocate production of critical medicines and medical devices.

Bruno Retailleau

No measure published on critical metals. LR proposes a reindustrialisation plan based on taxation and energy.

Cut production taxes by about 15 billion euros (C3S, CVAE, industrial CFE).
Create a France Production fund of 600 million euros per year, steered by the regions.
Mobilise about 25,000 hectares of industrial land.
Designate advanced materials and batteries among seven strategic sectors.

Gabriel Attal

Gabriel Attal addresses the topic through reindustrialisation, recycling and technological sovereignty.

Create 10,000 factories across the country in ten years (Renaissance 2025 programme).
Launch an investment plan for reindustrialisation and technological sovereignty.
Introduce recycled-material purchase contracts for each sector.
Have French companies explore white hydrogen.

Éric Zemmour

Reconquête advocates protectionism and exploitation of the subsoil (2024 European elections programme).

Finance research and exploitation of the subsoil and revive the debate on shale gas.
Require “made in China” labelling and raise duties on Chinese electric vehicles.
Introduce a “Buy European Act” in response to the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
Freeze free trade agreements and audit them before renegotiation.

Marine Tondelier

No measure published by the candidate on critical metals. The Écologistes make industrial aid conditional.

Make business aid conditional on employment and environmental impact.
Create a long-term zero-interest loan to decarbonise SMEs and mid-sized companies (ETI).
Ecologist deputies co-signed a request for a parliamentary inquiry commission on critical metals (June 2025).

Fabien Roussel

No measure published on critical metals. Fabien Roussel advocates relocation and public control.

Relocate industrial production to reduce emissions from imports.
Launch a 500 billion euro climate plan over five years via the Caisse des dépôts and Bpifrance.
Nationalise TotalEnergies.
Introduce a heavier corporate tax for groups that offshore production.

Nicolas Dupont-Aignan

No measure published on critical metals. Nicolas Dupont-Aignan advocates “smart protectionism”.

Reserve 75% of public procurement for products made in France.
Create a 4 billion euro fund to relocate factories to rural areas.
Block at customs imports that do not meet French standards.
Strengthen the Montebourg decree against foreign takeovers of strategic companies.

Dominique de Villepin

Dominique de Villepin aims for industry to reach 14% of value added; critical metals fall under partnerships.

Raise industry's share from 10% to 14% of value added.
Raise R&D to 3% of GDP and reserve the research tax credit for France.
Finance decarbonisation and digital through a national sovereignty fund funded by the CSG.
Include critical raw materials in partnerships with the Maghreb, Africa, Canada and Brazil.

Nathalie Arthaud

No measure published on critical metals. Nathalie Arthaud targets layoffs and the ownership of large groups.

Ban layoffs and share work among everyone.
Expropriate large capitalist groups and entrust their management to workers.
Plan production.

Karim Bouamrane

No specific measure on critical metals. Karim Bouamrane defends SMEs, local employment and industrial sovereignty.

Make it easier for SMEs to access public procurement, with a local preference where skills are equal.
Require supported companies to invest, employ and pay their taxes in France.
Reduce industrial and digital dependence, and ease the rules that stifle initiative.
Create sustainable jobs in the regions through the ecological transition.

François Hollande

He wants a core group of European states to steer future industries.

Entrust six to eight European states with steering future industries.
Cut production taxes by reducing business subsidies.

Natacha Polony

She places the State as protector of strategic sectors and French production.

Give priority to French production in public procurement.
Protect agriculture, energy, defence, pharmaceuticals and chemicals through the State.
Defend the car industry against Chinese competition deemed unfair.
Break with the dogma of free and undistorted competition.

Critical metals and industry : les propositions des candidats à la présidentielle 2027

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