A "welfare system": Laurent Wauquiez "proposes that we leave the RSA for life"

Laurent Wauquiez, in the midst of campaigning for the presidency of the Les Républicains party , called for "leaving the RSA (Active Solidarity Income, Editor's note) for life", in an interview with Le Parisien this Sunday, May 11, while the result of the vote which pits him against Bruno Retailleau, Minister of the Interior, is expected on May 18.

"I propose that we get rid of the lifelong RSA. The RSA - nearly 2 million beneficiaries for 12 billion euros - should be a temporary aid when someone has had an accident in their life. It should be limited to two years for French people who are able to work," he proclaims.

"Today, nearly 40% of RSA beneficiaries are under 35. Who can believe that they are all unable to work? We have drifted towards a system of welfare," he maintains.

"We cannot continue to pay people to stay at home when we have 500,000 job vacancies in personal services, hotels and restaurants, and home care," says Laurent Wauquiez.

The LR MP for Haute-Loire is also calling for "the generalisation of real working hours in return for the RSA" and for "the merger of all social benefits into a single benefit capped at 70% of the minimum wage".

"Truly social is helping people who really need it," he continues, calling for "a revaluation of work."

Just one week before the LR presidency results, Laurent Wauquiez is taking the opportunity to once again tackle his opponent Bruno Retailleau .

"Having a president of the Republicans who is also a member of a Macronist government obviously leads to the dilution of Macronism and the end of the right," he said, targeting the Minister of the Interior, who was widely considered the favorite in an Ifop poll dated April .

Laurent Wauquiez, for his part, defends a "clear break with Macronism" and says he supports "the great gathering of the right," going, according to him, "from Gérald Darmanin (Minister of Justice, Editor's note) to Sarah Knafo (Reconquête MEP, Editor's note)."

The race for the Republican presidency between Bruno Retailleau and Laurent Wauquiez has nearly tripled the party's membership, bringing it to 121,617 voters. The vote for the LR presidency will be held on May 17 and 18.