What you need to know:
- Camille Lemardeley, the General Director of Superprof, an education startup located in Paris, expressed to Reuters that the policies proposed by the National Rally (RN) could potentially diminish the appeal of France for international professionals, thereby impacting the overall business environment.
- Marine Le Pen, President of the French far-right National Rally (Rassemblement National – RN) party parliamentary group, and Jordan Bardella, President of the French far-right National Rally (Rassemblement National – RN) party and head of the RN list for the European elections, attend a political rally during the party’s campaign.
Top executives from prominent French technology companies have cautioned that immigration restrictions proposed by the far-right National Rally party could jeopardize France’s goal of becoming the primary hub for artificial intelligence (AI) in Europe.
Following significant setbacks for his Renaissance party in the European Parliament elections last weekend, President Emmanuel Macron has announced snap elections for the lower house of parliament. The first round is scheduled for June 30, with a run-off on July 7.
Macron has prioritized supporting French tech firms by easing hiring processes for startups seeking international talent, advocating against what he views as overly stringent European Union regulations, and attracting investments from giants like Amazon and Microsoft.
However, Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally (RN), expected to secure the majority of seats in the upcoming election, has vowed to decrease the intake of migrant workers in France and tighten oversight on foreign investments.
Tech executives warn that such policies could undermine the country’s ambitions in AI.
“I fully share the concerns about the party’s anti-migration stance,” said Julien Launay, CEO of AI startup Adaptive ML. “In my experience at two previous startups, skilled immigration to France has been crucial for attracting talent, particularly students who come here to study, intern at various companies, and eventually settle. This represents a valuable pipeline for nurturing young talent.”
Camille Lemardeley, the General Director of Superprof, an education startup located in Paris, expressed to Reuters that the policies proposed by the National Rally (RN) could potentially diminish the appeal of France for international professionals, thereby impacting the overall business environment.
“The RN’s agenda includes measures that emphasize tighter immigration regulations and prioritizing national employment preferences,” he stated. “This could potentially disrupt innovation and competitiveness, not only for Superprof but for the entire French tech ecosystem.”
Recently, France has actively asserted its leadership in artificial intelligence (AI), with global business and political figures gathering at the annual VivaTech conference in Paris. However, according to Hugo Weber, head of public affairs at Mirakl, a Paris-based e-commerce firm, the proposed restrictions on hiring foreign workers by the National Rally (RN) could undermine these efforts.
Weber described the RN’s policies as “fundamentally harmful” to France’s tech ecosystem. Mirakl, which provides AI-powered solutions for online retailers, depends on investments from international venture capital firms and the ability to recruit talent globally.
“I am concerned about the impact on French startups’ ability to attract funding and remain competitive in attracting tech talent, especially in the field of AI,” Weber emphasized.
The RN did not respond to a request for comment.
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