Candidate comparison

Le Pen vs Philippe: how alike are they?

We compare the documented positions of Marine Le Pen and Édouard Philippe on the 46 questions in the test, issue by issue.

Le Pen

Nationalism, sovereigntism

60 %

overall agreement

Philippe

Centre-right, economic liberalism, pro-Europeanism

In brief

How do Le Pen and Philippe differ?

Marine Le Pen (Rassemblement National) and Édouard Philippe (Horizons) agree on roughly as many test statements as they disagree on, among those where both have a sourced position. Their clearest disagreement is on pensions and work: Le Pen wants the legal retirement age to go back to 62 or lower, all pensions to rise at least in line with inflation, the 35-hour week to stay and VAT on electricity, gas and motor fuel to be cut, while Philippe rejects all four and wants to raise the retirement age to 65; he also wants to pay unemployment benefits for a shorter time, which she opposes. They are also opposed on bringing back a wealth tax, abolishing birthright citizenship, giving French law precedence over European law, leaving NATO’s integrated command and proportional representation, which Le Pen supports and Philippe rejects, and on wind power, which he wants to keep developing and she does not. They agree on suspending family reunification, a presumption of self-defence for police officers and gendarmes, mandatory minimum sentences for repeat offenders, new nuclear reactors and higher military spending, and both oppose giving legal status to undocumented workers and leaving the European Union. On military aid to Ukraine, Philippe is in favour and Le Pen is neutral.

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.

Differences

Where they clash most

Pensions

The legal retirement age should go back to 62 or lower.

Le Pen Strongly in favour

According to LCP, in her September 2026 speech in Hénin-Beaumont she called for a return to a legal retirement age of 62, and 60 for those who started work before 20.

Philippe Strongly against

He proposes gradually raising the retirement age to 65 and the contribution period to 45 years within ten years, with exceptions for ill health, disability and long careers.

Pensions

The legal retirement age should rise to 65.

Le Pen Strongly against

According to LCP, in September 2026 she called for a return to a legal retirement age of 62; her 2022 programme already rejected any increase in the retirement age.

Philippe Strongly in favour

His programme raises the retirement age to 65 and the contribution period to 45 years within ten years, keeping early retirement for health reasons and long careers.

Economy, taxes and debt

A wealth tax should be brought back.

Le Pen In favour

Her group's 2025 counter-budget proposes a tax on financial wealth (IFF) in place of the property wealth tax (IFI); it does not bring back the old ISF as it was.

Philippe Strongly against

He lists "the return of the wealth tax (ISF)" among the "rearguard debates" worrying business owners, and his programme promises no new tax during the five-year term.

Work and cost of living

The legal working week should stay at 35 hours.

Le Pen In favour

In 2017 her programme kept the 35-hour legal working week, letting sector agreements lengthen hours with full pay compensation; there is no more recent stance.

Philippe Strongly against

His programme lets each company set working hours freely "to get out of the 35-hour week", with tax-free overtime and no employer contributions beyond the 37th hour.

Work and cost of living

VAT on electricity, gas and motor fuel should be cut.

Le Pen Strongly in favour

In September 2026 she called for a VAT cut on motor fuel; the RN's 2025 counter-budget cuts VAT on gas, electricity and motor fuel.

Philippe Against

Faced with the fuel crisis, he refuses to "keep handing out cheques" as "we no longer have the means", and his programme freezes taxes without any VAT cut on energy.

Work and cost of living

Unemployment benefits should be paid for a shorter time, to encourage people back into work.

Le Pen Against

The RN's 2024 programme pledged to cancel the July 2024 unemployment insurance reform, which shortened the period of benefit payments.

Philippe Strongly in favour

His programme cuts the maximum duration of unemployment benefit to 12 months for people under 50, from 18 months today, on the German model.

Common ground

Where they agree

Work and cost of living

The minimum wage (SMIC) should be raised to at least 1,600 euros a month after deductions.

Both: Against

Security and justice

Judges should have to give repeat offenders mandatory minimum sentences.

Both: In favour

Security and justice

The sale of cannabis should be legalised and regulated.

Both: Against

Security and justice

Rubber-bullet launchers (LBD) and grenades should be banned at demonstrations.

Both: Against

Energy, climate and farming

France should build new nuclear reactors.

Both: Strongly in favour

Energy, climate and farming

Glyphosate and neonicotinoids should be banned.

Both: Against

By issue

Agreement by issue

Economy, taxes and debt 56 %

Pensions 31 %

Work and cost of living 50 %

Health 63 %

Immigration 54 %

Security and justice 94 %

Education and youth 67 %

Energy, climate and farming 69 %

Europe 50 %

Foreign affairs and defence 65 %

Institutions and democracy 50 %

Society, secularism and regions 75 %

Detail

Question by question

Economy, taxes and debt 56 %

Question	Le Pen	Philippe
There should be a minimum tax of 2% on fortunes worth more than 100 million euros.	Against	Strongly against
To reduce the deficit, public spending should be cut first, rather than raising taxes.	In favour	Strongly in favour
The number of public servants should be reduced.	In between	Strongly in favour
A wealth tax should be brought back.	In favour	Strongly against

Pensions 31 %

Question	Le Pen	Philippe
The legal retirement age should go back to 62 or lower.	Strongly in favour	Strongly against
The legal retirement age should rise to 65.	Strongly against	Strongly in favour
Part of pensions should be funded by invested savings (a funded pillar).	In favour	Strongly in favour
All pensions should rise at least in line with inflation.	In favour	Against

Work and cost of living 50 %

Question	Le Pen	Philippe
The minimum wage (SMIC) should be raised to at least 1,600 euros a month after deductions.	Against	Against
The legal working week should stay at 35 hours.	In favour	Strongly against
VAT on electricity, gas and motor fuel should be cut.	Strongly in favour	Against
Unemployment benefits should be paid for a shorter time, to encourage people back into work.	Against	Strongly in favour
Rent controls should apply in all large cities.	In between	Against

Health 63 %

Question	Le Pen	Philippe
The State should be able to require doctors to set up practice in areas that lack them.	Against	In between
Funding for public hospitals should be greatly increased, even if it costs the State more.	In favour	Against

Immigration 54 %

Question	Le Pen	Philippe
There should be a referendum on immigration.	Strongly in favour	In between
Birthright citizenship (“droit du sol”) should be abolished.	Strongly in favour	Against
Undocumented workers who have a job should be given legal status.	Strongly against	Against
Social housing and jobs should go to French citizens first.	Strongly in favour	Against
Undocumented migrants should keep access to State medical aid (AME).	Strongly against	Against
Family reunification should be suspended.	In favour	Strongly in favour

Security and justice 94 %

Question	Le Pen	Philippe
Police officers and gendarmes should be presumed to have acted in self-defence.	Strongly in favour	In favour
Judges should have to give repeat offenders mandatory minimum sentences.	In favour	In favour
The sale of cannabis should be legalised and regulated.	Against	Against
Rubber-bullet launchers (LBD) and grenades should be banned at demonstrations.	Against	Against

Education and youth 67 %

Question	Le Pen	Philippe
Social media should be banned for children under 15.	In between	In favour
School uniform should be compulsory in primary and lower secondary school.	Strongly in favour	In between
Parcoursup should be scrapped.	Against	In between

Energy, climate and farming 69 %

Question	Le Pen	Philippe
France should build new nuclear reactors.	Strongly in favour	Strongly in favour
Wind power should continue to be developed.	Strongly against	In favour
Low-emission zones (ZFE) in large cities should be scrapped.	Strongly in favour	In between
Glyphosate and neonicotinoids should be banned.	Against	Against

Europe 50 %

Question	Le Pen	Philippe
French law should take precedence over European law.	Strongly in favour	Against
The European Union should take more decisions by majority, without a veto for each country.	Strongly against	In between
France should leave the European Union.	Against	Strongly against

Foreign affairs and defence 65 %

Question	Le Pen	Philippe
France should continue to give military aid to Ukraine.	In between	Strongly in favour
France should leave NATO’s integrated military command.	Strongly in favour	Against
France should offer to extend its nuclear deterrent to its European partners.	Against	In favour
There should be compulsory national service for all young people.	Against	Against
France should increase its military spending.	Strongly in favour	Strongly in favour

Institutions and democracy 50 %

Question	Le Pen	Philippe
Members of the National Assembly should be elected by proportional representation.	Strongly in favour	Against
There should be a citizens’ initiative referendum (RIC).	Strongly in favour	Against
A constituent assembly should be called to create a Sixth Republic.	Against	Against

Society, secularism and regions 75 %

Question	Le Pen	Philippe
The 2026 law allowing assisted dying should be kept.	Against	Against
Corsica should be able to make its own rules in some areas.	Against	In favour
Girls under 18 should not be allowed to wear the headscarf in public spaces.	In favour	In between

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