Overview

• Bernard Arnault told the Sunday Times that Gabriel Zucman is a “militant d’extrême gauche” with a plan that would “mettre à terre l’économie française,” while asserting he and his companies already pay substantial taxes.
• Gabriel Zucman responded on X and by email, calling the remarks calumny, insisting on a fact‑based debate, and noting his proposal targets about 1,800 households and has backing from seven Nobel laureates.
• The plan would impose a 2% annual charge on net wealth above €100 million, including professional assets, with projected yields around €15–20 billion that other economists dispute; Medef brands it a brake on investment and Bpifrance’s chief calls it absurd.
• RN deputy Jean‑Philippe Tanguy deemed the measure intellectually weak and predicted the ultra‑wealthy would leave, while PS leader Olivier Faure defended stronger taxation and warned against a watered‑down alternative.
• With the National Assembly having approved the measure earlier and the Senate opposed, the executive is exploring a different path such as a 0.5% levy excluding business assets and a 20% minimum tax on top earners, leaving the outcome uncertain in ongoing budget negotiations.