French sure taxes to rise after 2012

A LARGE majority of French people believe that taxes will rise once the 2012 presidential election has taken place.

Regardless of what issues will become the centre of the campaign, or the eventual winner, 88% of those questioned in a recent poll thought tax rises were on their way.

The government is currently reviewing both its wealth tax (l'impôt de solidarité sur la fortune ISF) and bouclier fiscal.

Assistant director of the opinion section of pollsters Ifop Jérôme Fourquet said the number was so large that it meant few believe that just the rich would pay more in taxes.

"This would please a lot of people because the rich earn more, but if we have 88% of people saying they will not escape tax rises, they are obviously assuming that everybody is going to contribute," he told the Sud Ouest newspaper.