That is one of the weaknesses of the centrist neoliberal platform. Nothing they do is concerned with building a popular support base for tax hikes when necessary, because it’s all designed around economic growth above all. It’s a rare politician who can both deal with the rich and raise popular support when necessary.

Thanks for pointing out the nuance there, btw. I had indeed made it seem like a simple thing to do.

Yeah, so raise taxes. France is like a lot of neoliberal governments around the world, pretending that raising taxes when you have a structural deficit isn’t an option. Macron especially is being disingenuous here.