French Tech leaders Clash Over Proposed Wealth Tax
PARIS,FRANCE – September 17 – A heated debate over taxation and innovation is unfolding at the Digital France Rally (FDDAY) in Paris,as French tech leaders grapple with a proposed wealth tax championed by economist Gabriel Zucman. The twelfth edition of the rally, a key lobbying event for the French Tech sector, saw a surge in attendance Wednesday afternoon as Zucman prepared to face off against fellow economist Philippe Aghion.
The discussion, spurred by a last-minute invitation issued September 14th, comes amid growing opposition to zucman’s tax proposal from employer organizations. Paola Fabiani, vice-president of Medef, an institution actively planning meetings against the tax, expressed her dismay, echoing sentiments of “madness” and “dystopia” voiced by others. CPME representative Yahya Fallah warned against the potential political implications, invoking the Overton window and suggesting a shift to the extreme left.
Zucman, a professor at both Berkeley in California and the École Normale Supérieure, will debate Aghion, a key architect of the 2017 Macron program and professor at the Collège de France and the London School of Economics.
Maya Noël, CEO of France Digital, hopes the discussion will move beyond “partisan and punchlines” to foster a deeper understanding of the differing positions on taxation and its impact on innovation. The debate is taking place under a tent in the outdoor spaces of the Museum of Fair Arts (Paris XII), near the Chamboule-Tout and distorting mirrors.