French premier unveils his 'ambition for France'

French premier Lionel Jospin, the socialist’s presidential candidate, today unveiled what he called his ‘‘ambition for France.’’

If elected, he plans to reduce dole queues by 900,000 inside five years, including a special effort to create 200,000 jobs for people over 50.

He also set the goal of ‘‘zero homeless’’ with funds for ‘‘universal housing.’’

In addition, Jospin proposed forgiving the debts of cash-strapped developing nations.

Jospin said his 10 point platform was culled from his experience as head of government for the past five years. He contrasted it to the ‘‘decline’’ that he claimed characterises the programme of his chief rival, conservative President Jacques Chirac.

‘‘This project is coherent with what I’ve done and with what I am. It is the project of a Socialist,’’ Jospin said.

The prime minister said his ambition is to ‘‘rally France and the French’’ to help bring out the best in each citizen.

‘‘It is to reconcile what constitutes our riches: the spirit of revolt and the spirit of initiative, the capacity for creativity and the demands for justice,’’ Jospin said.

Jospin holds a slight edge over Chirac in recent polls. Voting takes place on April 21 and May 5.

Addressing the rising crime rate in France, Jospin proposed creating a Ministry for Public Safety and special centres for repeat offenders.

Chirac has made tackling rising crime the heart of his campaign.

Jospin also proposed a ‘‘European federation of nation-states.’’

On European issues, he said there is a need for the European Union to agree on a minimum level for corporate income tax to eliminate harmful tax competition inside the economic area.

A floor tax rate ‘‘is a necessary antidote for the poison of fiscal dumping.’’

France has for many years been an outspoken critic of countries such as Ireland using low corporate tax rates to attract inward investment.

Jospin said that, to foster a more cohesive economic policy in Europe, he will push for the election of the chairman of the Euro-group of EU finance ministers, rather than have the chairmanship rotate automatically.

If elected, he said he would overhaul France’s income tax system to lighten the tax burden on labour while increasing the tax bite on capital investments.

Chirac has pledged to slash income tax by one-third over the next five years if he wins the election.