Who is France's wealthiest presidential candidate?
The Local France - [email protected]
Published: 23 Mar, 2017 CET.
Updated: Thu 23 Mar 2017 12:45 CET
For the first time in France's history the presidential candidates have revealed their personal wealth and assets to the public.
The statements, showing what each candidate has in their bank account, own in property, companies, cars or expensive watches appeared on the website for the High Authority for Transparency in Public Life (HATVP) on Wednesday evening.
It caused so much interest that the site actually crashed due to too many visitors eager to find out how wealthy the candidates were, reported Le Parisien newspaper.
Previously, candidates submitted their evaluations of their wealth and assets to the High Authority, but it wasn't until this election that the details were made available to the public, thanks to a 2013 law that demanded more transparency.
So let's find out what the top five candidates vying for the presidency have got in their piggy banks - in order of least wealthiest to wealthiest.
And importantly - the candidates aren't legally required to add their actual incomes to the mix, just their wealth and assets... for now.
5) Emmanuel Macron
Total wealth and assets: €336,004
The former banker has two savings accounts containing €60,000 total, and a life insurance policy with a buy-back value of €90,000.
Macron doesn't own any properties since he sold his Paris apartment. And he received an advance of around €274,000 for his book "Révolution".
4) Benoit Hamon
Total wealth and assets: €461,182
Few surprises here, as Hamon had already published his wealth and assets on his campaign website.
Of his five current accounts, three are overdrawn, by sums of between €31 to €36, and the Socialist candidate has €2,435 in savings.
He has a 46.14 percent share of a large apartment in les Hauts-de-Seine area to the west of Paris, valued at €700,000, as well as owning a €121,000 apartment in Finistère, Brittany.
3) Marine Le Pen
Total wealth and assets: €630,686
She estimates her 12.5 percent share in the Le Pen family villa in Saint Cloud as €312,500. Le Pen owns or part owns several other properties, making a total of €611,832 in property assets.
Like many of the candidates, Le Pen doesn't own a car. Nor does she have life insurance or a savings account. Her current accounts hold €18,000.
2) Francois Fillon
Total wealth and assets: €1,077,435
Fillon's 12 hectare manor in Sarthe, north west France, has been valued at €750,000, making up a significant portion of his wealth, along with his two other part-owned houses.
The Republican candidate also has a consultancy company called 2F, which is valued at being worth €97,888.
A known car lover, Fillon owns a €5,000 Land Rover and a €3,000 Peugeot 306, both less expensive than his €12,000 and €15,000 watches.
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1) Jean-Luc Mélenchon
Total wealth and assets: €1,131,212
The far left candidate's apartment in Paris's 10th arrondissement is valued at €837,000, and he estimates his country house near Montargis in central France to be worth €190,000.
His various savings accounts add up to €98,000.
By Rose Trigg
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The statements, showing what each candidate has in their bank account, own in property, companies, cars or expensive watches appeared on the website for the High Authority for Transparency in Public Life (HATVP) on Wednesday evening.
It caused so much interest that the site actually crashed due to too many visitors eager to find out how wealthy the candidates were, reported Le Parisien newspaper.
Previously, candidates submitted their evaluations of their wealth and assets to the High Authority, but it wasn't until this election that the details were made available to the public, thanks to a 2013 law that demanded more transparency.
So let's find out what the top five candidates vying for the presidency have got in their piggy banks - in order of least wealthiest to wealthiest.
And importantly - the candidates aren't legally required to add their actual incomes to the mix, just their wealth and assets... for now.
5) Emmanuel Macron
Total wealth and assets: €336,004
The former banker has two savings accounts containing €60,000 total, and a life insurance policy with a buy-back value of €90,000.
Macron doesn't own any properties since he sold his Paris apartment. And he received an advance of around €274,000 for his book "Révolution".
4) Benoit Hamon
Total wealth and assets: €461,182
Few surprises here, as Hamon had already published his wealth and assets on his campaign website.
Of his five current accounts, three are overdrawn, by sums of between €31 to €36, and the Socialist candidate has €2,435 in savings.
He has a 46.14 percent share of a large apartment in les Hauts-de-Seine area to the west of Paris, valued at €700,000, as well as owning a €121,000 apartment in Finistère, Brittany.
3) Marine Le Pen
Total wealth and assets: €630,686
She estimates her 12.5 percent share in the Le Pen family villa in Saint Cloud as €312,500. Le Pen owns or part owns several other properties, making a total of €611,832 in property assets.
Like many of the candidates, Le Pen doesn't own a car. Nor does she have life insurance or a savings account. Her current accounts hold €18,000.
2) Francois Fillon
Total wealth and assets: €1,077,435
Fillon's 12 hectare manor in Sarthe, north west France, has been valued at €750,000, making up a significant portion of his wealth, along with his two other part-owned houses.
The Republican candidate also has a consultancy company called 2F, which is valued at being worth €97,888.
A known car lover, Fillon owns a €5,000 Land Rover and a €3,000 Peugeot 306, both less expensive than his €12,000 and €15,000 watches.
1) Jean-Luc Mélenchon
Total wealth and assets: €1,131,212
The far left candidate's apartment in Paris's 10th arrondissement is valued at €837,000, and he estimates his country house near Montargis in central France to be worth €190,000.
His various savings accounts add up to €98,000.
By Rose Trigg
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