Philippe Uses Revived 'L'Heure de vérité' to Set Out Rightward Program

Overview

• Édouard Philippe, who appeared on the relaunched 'L'Heure de vérité' on Thursday, October 8, used the two-hour broadcast to lay out a fuller governing agenda and test his frontrunner standing.
• He proposed raising the retirement age to 65, expanded overtime incentives to reward working more, halving legal immigration within five years, a single €350 family allowance from the first child, and tax cuts for young middle-class parents.
• Philippe said meeting his immigration target could require revising the Constitution under Article 89, signaling he is willing to pursue major legal and institutional steps to implement his plan.
• He offered personal image shifts to separate himself from Macron by saying he would not live at the Élysée if elected and by refusing to expose his family, a move meant to project continuity with his time as prime minister while cultivating an outsider-authoritative persona.
• Reaction split by outlet: center-right papers praised the policy detail and consolidation of his base while cultural critics called the episode a staged communication exercise, and commentators noted the broadcast took place with high-school protests as background and could push Philippe's campaign further to the right on immigration and public spending.