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Footballers 'should be let off' 75 percent tax

Clea Caulcutt
Clea Caulcutt - [email protected]
Footballers 'should be let off' 75 percent tax

Presidential hopeful François Hollande says all high earners will have to pay his proposed 75 percent tax - unless they earn their money by kicking a ball. 

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Speaking on French radio Europe 1, Socialist candidate François Hollande said he wanted to introduce a "smoothing mechanism" for football players in France who might have to pay his new 75 percent tax.

"We should look for smoothing mechanisms on taxing their income," said Hollande, who is the favourite in the polls ahead of presidential elections scheduled in April.

Last month, Hollande said he wanted to introduce a new 75  percent tax bracket for contributors who earnt more that one million euros per year if he is elected. Hollande says he wants to target wealthy businessmen and financiers.

But football professionals have balked at the new tax, saying it would harm French football clubs who struggle to recruit international players.

It is not quite clear how this new adjustment mechanism would work for star football players who sometimes earn over 2 million euros per year in France.

Socialist politician Laurent Fabius also suggested that the 75 percent tax might be a temporary measure in an interview with radio station RMC.

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