Sarkozy’s proposed cure is to boost growth by reducing the tax burden on employers, while simultaneously hiking the rate of value-added tax. His main opponent, Socialist leader François Hollande, would impose higher taxes mainly on the wealthy and the financial sector, but also on big business.
因此，此次大选竞争的焦点便在于法国的财政状况。所有人都同意，削减赤字是必须的，但如何实现则众说纷纭。萨科齐的药方是通过降低雇主税负提振增长，同时增加增值税税率。其主要竞争对手社会党领导人奥朗德则提出增税——主要是针对富人和金融部门，但也涉及大企业。