Le Pen vs Retailleau: how alike are they?

In brief

How do Le Pen and Retailleau differ?

Marine Le Pen (Rassemblement National) and Bruno Retailleau (Les Républicains) share most of their positions on immigration, security and energy, but are opposed on pensions and work. Both back a referendum on immigration and abolishing birthright citizenship, and both oppose legal status for undocumented workers and keeping State medical aid (AME); they want mandatory minimum sentences for repeat offenders, a presumption of self-defence for police officers and gendarmes and compulsory school uniform. They want new nuclear reactors, no further wind power, the end of low-emission zones and higher military spending. Le Pen, however, wants the legal retirement age to go back to 62 or lower and the 35-hour week to stay, which Retailleau rejects; he wants to raise the retirement age to 65 and pay unemployment benefits for a shorter time, which she rejects. She also supports giving French citizens priority for social housing and jobs, a large increase in funding for public hospitals, leaving NATO’s integrated command and proportional representation, which Retailleau rejects; he wants the State to be able to require doctors to set up practice in areas that lack them, which she rejects.

This summary is based on the candidates’ documented positions on the test statements; the source of each position is on each candidate’s page. Updated 19/10/2026.