Mélenchon Calls for NATO Exit: What His Campaign Platform Shows

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The NATO Exit Begins With the Integrated Military Command

A Clear Change of Course

At a rally by his anti-capitalist party La France Insoumise in the Paris suburb of Le Bourget, Jean-Luc Mélenchon called for France to leave NATO. The 75-year-old left-wing politician said: “We have nothing to seek in either NATO or American wars.” Instead, he argued, France must build a global front of non-aligned states.

His criticism therefore goes beyond individual decisions taken by the military alliance. He is fundamentally questioning France’s membership. The campaign platform also sets out how the exit should proceed: gradually, beginning with a withdrawal from the Integrated Military Command.

What the report establishes — and what it does not

The political demand is clear: Mélenchon wants to lead France out of NATO. This is more than a symbolic statement, however, because the NATO demand is included in a platform for the presidential election in April. It is therefore a clearly identifiable part of his campaign and a potential benchmark for voters.

The report does not, however, provide a specific poll on support for this policy point. Nor can a ranking of the candidates be derived from it. Mélenchon’s position is certain; how many voters support it will be determined by the campaign. This is a crucial distinction between a clear demand and its ability to command a practical majority.

Reporting on the presidential election in France also points to Mélenchon’s greatest common opponent: According to recent polls, he could reach Marine Le Pen in the runoff, but would likely lose to her in the second round of voting. His position on NATO therefore has to appeal not only to progressive voters, but also to people who want to prevent another term for the right-wing populist Le Pen.

France Should Push German Economic Policy Further From the EU’s Center

Criticism of Berlin

Alongside NATO, Mélenchon also challenges Germany’s influence on EU economic policy. In his platform, he portrays Berlin as Europe’s leading defender of “ordoliberalism.” In this context, the report uses the term to refer to an economic philosophy based on strict budget rules, price stability and independent monetary policy.

The issue is therefore not merely a single dispute over budget deficits. Mélenchon is calling the economic orientation of European integration into question. The platform also announces a clear departure from the policy of President Emmanuel Macron. Macron is not eligible to run again, and the source reports that polls show many citizens are dissatisfied with his policies.

Economic Stimulus Instead of Austerity

Economically, Mélançon is betting on a targeted boost to demand. He announced an economic stimulus program and said: “We will do exactly the opposite — that is, pursue a policy of economic stimulus.” He plans to do this first through consumer spending, because it accounts for more than half of France’s economic output, and second through billions in existing savings.

The existing funds are to be directed toward the country’s ecological and social needs. This is the concrete economic-policy alternative that Mélenchon sets against the EU and French austerity policies he criticizes. The lever is therefore not just additional spending, but also the redirection of billions of euros already available.

The Minimum Wage Is Set to Rise by Around 15 Percent

A Direct Response to High Living Costs

As an immediate response to high living costs, Mélenchon is calling for prices to be frozen, the minimum wage to be raised and wages to be linked to inflation. According to his figures, the net monthly minimum wage is to rise by around 15 percent, from 1,480 euros to 1,700 euros.

The gap between the starting and target figures is therefore clearly defined. The proposals also include higher taxes for the wealthiest households and price caps for basic foodstuffs. The wage and price proposals therefore address two sides of the same equation: The minimum wage is to rise while prices for essential goods are to be capped.

The Pension Reform Is to Be Reversed

Reversing Macron’s pension reform is also among the platform’s core promises. Under Macron, the minimum retirement age had been gradually increased from 62 to 64. Mélenchon’s party wants to make it possible to draw a pension again from 60 years of age, provided people have paid into the system for 40 years.

His platform therefore directly challenges an existing reform step. Raising the minimum retirement age was also intended to stabilize public finances. The LFI proposal moves the threshold in the opposite direction while making a 40-year contribution period a prerequisite.

The Nuclear Phase-Out Is Set Out With EPR2 and a 60-Year Cap

Energy Policy With Fixed Steps

The platform also provides details on energy policy. Mélenchon reiterated his support for a gradual exit from nuclear power in favor of an electricity system based entirely on renewable energy.

Two concrete measures are therefore at the center: The EPR2 program for a new generation of state-supported nuclear reactors is to be canceled. At the same time, the operating lives of nuclear power plants are not to be extended beyond 60 years. Rather than launching a new major project, Mélenchon is relying on the expiration of existing operating licenses and the expansion of renewable energy.

The manifesto is titled “L’Avenir en commun” — “A Common Future” — and is now in its fifth edition. It largely confirms the positions adopted in Mélenchon’s previous presidential campaigns. The NATO exit, the minimum wage of 1,700 euros, the return of the retirement age of 60 after 40 years of contributions and the abandonment of EPR2 together form a political profile that extends far beyond a single foreign-policy demand.

The strongest context comes from the latest polls: Mélenchon is regarded as the strongest candidate in the left-wing camp and could reach the runoff against Marine Le Pen. The clarity of his platform on leaving NATO makes him an easily identifiable candidate. The fact that he is unlikely to defeat Le Pen in the second round also demonstrates the limits of that clarity: It does not guarantee a viable majority. His policy points therefore determine not only whom voters want to support, but also whether they can mobilize a majority against the first-round winner.