By Necva Tastan Sevinc

ISTANBUL (AA) - French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu on Friday laid out the first outlines of his government’s economic program, ruling out a return to the wealth tax (ISF) and expressing skepticism over the proposed “Zucman tax” on billionaires.

Speaking to Le Parisien in his first interview since his appointment on Sept. 9, Lecornu said his guiding principle is to “start from scratch” on the 2026 budget.

“Ministers who want to join the government will have to endorse it. It’s the ‘what’ before the ‘who,’” he said.

The 39-year-old premier, who has yet to form his Cabinet, acknowledged that he is in a "weak position" without a parliamentary majority but insisted that this reflected France's new political realities.

“I told the unions that I am a weak prime minister. But in fact, in a parliamentary democracy, the government is under the control, even the guardianship, of parliament,” he explained.

On taxation, Lecornu opposed both the reinstatement of the ISF wealth tax, which was abolished in 2017, and the "Zucman tax," which the Socialist Party advocates.

“I do not envisage the return of the ISF,” he said firmly.

As for the Zucman levy, he argued: “Personally, I don’t believe in it, for two reasons. The first is that taxing professional assets, factories, machines, and patents would damage jobs and competitiveness. The second is that we need French capital to defend our sovereignty against foreign predations.”

He said his proposal would “change the distribution of the burden within current taxes,” with some increasing and others decreasing, but emphasized that “in the end, it is Parliament that will decide.”

Lecornu also confirmed that he would aim for a 4.7% deficit in 2026, in line with France’s European commitments to bring it back down to 3% by 2029.

“Reducing the deficit to control our debt is not only a European commitment; it is a condition of our sovereignty,” he said.

The prime minister said his government would be appointed before the National Assembly’s legislative session begins Oct. 6, ending what has become the longest delay to form a government under the Fifth Republic, BFMTV reported.

“We are working on it with the president,” he said.