For years, France’s entrepreneurial elite have been deeply suspicious of a populist party that has flipflopped on key economic policies such as membership of the eurozone. In 2017, Arnault backed French President Emmanuel Macron against Le Pen, and had until this week refused to meet National Rally leaders.
But with Le Pen and National Rally President Jordan Bardella topping the polls ahead of next year’s presidential election, business leaders have been seeking to build bridges with far-right leaders to gain influence over a party whose economic vision often clashes with their interests.
Pouyanné had in January called for business leaders to talk to the far right and the hard-left France Unbowed party to “introduce some realism into a confused and illusory political debate.”
According to an executive who works for one of the attendees, the encounter wasn’t an opportunity for business leaders to “cozy up” to Le Pen, but rather a robust exchange of views.
But a former government official who was granted anonymity to protect relationships with past colleagues said that the symbolism of Le Pen “meeting Arnault, Pouyanné and others contributes to normalizing her.”
The dinner was held at the exclusive Drouant restaurant in Paris, according to the French weekly Le Nouvel Obs, which first reported the meeting.
Le Nouvel Obs reported that more than a dozen CEOs were present at the dinner, including Engie CEO Catherine MacGregor; Sebastien Bazin from the hotels group Accor; Cyrille Bolloré, the son of the conservative billionaire Vincent Bolloré; and Henri de Castries, the former chief executive of AXA insurance.
Pauline de Saint Remy and Alexandre Léchenet contributed to this report.