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Moratorium on data centers: what the 2027 presidential candidates propose

As of November 12, 2026, 60 proposals and statements from 17 candidates and potential candidates: Antoine Mikolajczak, Bruno Le Maire, Bruno Retailleau, David Lisnard, Delphine Batho, Dominique de Villepin, Emmanuel Dubuisson, Emmanuel Maurel, François Ruffin, Gabriel Attal, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, Marine Tondelier, Natacha Polony, Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, Sarah Knafo, Xavier Bertrand, Édouard Philippe.

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Background

The National Assembly's commission of inquiry into the dependencies and vulnerabilities of the digital sector adopted its report on July 8, 2026, made public on July 15. Its proposal no. 21 recommends a moratorium on data center projects that do not meet the sovereignty imperative: those developed by non-European players, investment funds or real estate players. According to the report, more than 60% of the capacity under development comes from real estate and investment funds.

In 2024, ADEME counted 352 active data centers, for 8.16 TWh of electricity consumed. Consumption by data centers on dedicated sites is on the order of 4 TWh, or less than 1% of French electricity consumption. The connection requests recorded by RTE point to potential consumption of 9.6 TWh in 2030 and 15.7 TWh in 2033.

Sources: Assemblée nationale · LCP

What the candidates propose

Antoine Mikolajczak · Commitment · Sovereign Hosting and Moratorium · March 31, 2026 · Indirect link with AI

Deploy a European cloud and repatriate data centers to European territory

On the technological front, Équinoxe stresses the urgency of deploying a European cloud, compliant with the Data Act 2025, as well as the strategic repatriation of data centers to European territory, in order to better control its data and reduce its attack surface
Original French quote
Sur le plan technologique, Équinoxe souligne l’urgence de déployer un cloud européen, conforme au Data Act 2025, ainsi que le rapatriement stratégique des datacenters sur le territoire européen, pour mieux maîtriser ses données et réduire sa surface d’attaque

Source: parti-equinoxe.fr · archived copy

Bruno Le Maire · Commitment · Siting and Land · August 23, 2026 · Direct link with AI

Ten-year programming laws covering data centers, supercomputers and semiconductors

These laws will guarantee the stability of long-term investments in priority sectors: the equipment and personnel of our armed forces and civil security services, prison places, places in administrative detention centers, semiconductors, data centers, supercomputers
Original French quote
Ces lois garantiront la stabilité des investissements sur le long terme dans des secteurs prioritaires : les équipements et les personnels de nos forces armées et de sécurité civile, les places de prison, les places dans les centres de rétention administrative, les semi-conducteurs, les centres de données, les supercalculateurs

Source: uneautrefrance.fr · archived copy

Bruno Retailleau · Costed measure · Siting and Land · September 24, 2026 · Direct link with AI

Raising sovereign computing capacity to around 1 GW by 2030, then toward 4 GW in 2035-2038

Raising genuinely sovereign capacity to around 1 gigawatt by 2030, then setting the trajectory toward around 4 gigawatts dedicated to AI by 2035-2038.
Original French quote
Porter la capacité réellement souveraine à environ 1 gigawatt d'ici 2030 , puis engager la trajectoire vers environ 4 gigawatts dédiés à l'IA à l'horizon 2035-2038 .

Source: avecretailleau.fr · archived copy

Bruno Retailleau · Principle · Siting and Land · September 24, 2026 · Indirect link with AI

Financing data centers mainly through private capital, with the State acting on land and grid connection

Its financing would be mostly provided by private and European capital, with the State intervening on land, grid connection and the guarantee of public procurement rather than on the investment itself.
Original French quote
Son financement serait majoritairement assuré par des capitaux privés et européens , l'État intervenant sur le foncier, le raccordement et la garantie de commande publique plutôt que sur l'investissement lui-même.

Source: avecretailleau.fr · archived copy

Bruno Retailleau · Costed measure · Grid Connection and Power Consumption · September 24, 2026 · Indirect link with AI

Reducing the electricity connection time to eighteen months, via a single point of contact

Reduce the electricity connection time to eighteen months within a single point of contact.
Original French quote
Ramener le délai de raccordement électrique à dix-huit mois au sein d'un guichet unique.

Source: avecretailleau.fr · archived copy

Bruno Retailleau · Commitment · AI Regulation and the AI Act · July 7, 2026 · Direct link with AI

Adopt an AI implementation law authorizing targeted exemptions from ordinary law (GDPR, AI Act, urban planning)

An AI implementation law, in line with public utility regimes, will authorize targeted and regulated exemptions from ordinary law - GDPR, AI Act, competition law, public procurement code, urban planning for data centers and computing capacity during the ramp-up phase.
Original French quote
Une loi d’exécution IA, dans la logique des régimes d’utilité publique, autorisera des dérogations ciblées et encadrées au droit commun - RGPD, AI Act, droit de la concurrence, code de la commande publique, urbanisme pour les data centers et capacités de calcul pendant la phase de montée en puissance.

Source: avecretailleau.fr · archived copy

Bruno Retailleau · Commitment · Siting and Land · July 7, 2026 · Indirect link with AI

Mobilizing public land near nuclear plants and on brownfield sites for data centers

We will mobilize public land as a priority near existing nuclear parks and on rehabilitable brownfield sites.
Original French quote
Nous mobiliserons le foncier public en priorité à proximité des parcs nucléaires existants et sur les friches réhabilitables.

Source: avecretailleau.fr · archived copy

Bruno Retailleau · Commitment · Water and Environment · July 7, 2026 · Indirect link with AI

Systematize waste heat recovery from data centers above a threshold

Waste heat recovery will be systematized above a threshold: not only toward urban heating networks and industry, but also toward agriculture (greenhouses), horticulture and fish farming.
Original French quote
La récupération de la chaleur fatale sera systématisée au-delà d’un seuil : non seulement vers les réseaux de chaleur urbains et l’industrie, mais aussi vers l’agriculture (serres), l’horticulture et la pisciculture.

Source: avecretailleau.fr · archived copy

Bruno Retailleau · Commitment · Grid Connection and Power Consumption · Indirect link with AI

Focus RTE and Enedis investments on grid connections, including those for data centers

We will ask them to bring this trajectory back in line with actual needs, and to concentrate their resources on the connections that support growth: data centers, industrial sites, new housing, new electrical uses.
Original French quote
Nous leur demanderons de ramener cette trajectoire à la mesure des besoins réels, et de concentrer leurs moyens sur les raccordements qui soutiennent la croissance : data centers, sites industriels, nouveaux logements, nouveaux usages électriques.

Source: avecretailleau.fr · archived copy

David Lisnard · Statement · Digital Sovereignty and Cloud · February 11, 2026 · Direct link with AI

Criticism of the idea that data centers financed by foreign capital with American AI models constitute digital sovereignty

building data centers in France financed by foreign capital to run American AI models on Nvidia chips, thanks to cheap nuclear energy and a few land acquisition facilities, is not digital sovereignty
Original French quote
construire des data centers en France financés par des capitaux étrangers pour faire tourner des modèles d’IA américains sur des puces Nvidia, grâce à de l’énergie nucléaire bon marché et quelques facilités d’acquisition du foncier, ce n’est pas de la souveraineté numérique

Source: unenouvelleenergie.fr · archived copy

Delphine Batho · Principle · Siting and Land · June 22, 2026 · Indirect link with AI

Subjecting the proliferation of data centers to collective debate

Is it really reasonable to line our cities with illuminated advertising screens, to equip ourselves with clothes dryers, to launch ourselves without debate into the proliferation of data centers, or into 6G after 5G? All of these are collective choices that must be debated.
Original French quote
Est-ce bien raisonnable de tapisser nos villes d’écrans publicitaires lumineux, de nous équiper de sèche-linge, de se lancer sans débat dans la multiplication des data centers, ou encore dans la 6G après la 5G ? Autant de choix collectifs qui doivent être débattus.

Source: generationecologie.fr · archived copy

Dominique de Villepin · Goal · Grid Connection and Power Consumption · June 13, 2026 · Direct link with AI

Mobilizing hundreds of billions of euros in reserved computing capacity, powered by nuclear electricity

we will have to mobilize, with our partners, hundreds of billions of euros in reserved computing capacity, using the resources available and for now in surplus thanks to electricity that is still affordable in France, coming from our historic nuclear power fleet.
Original French quote
il faudra mobiliser avec nos partenaires des centaines de milliards d’euros en capacité de calcul réservée, utilisant les ressources disponibles et pour l’heure excédentaires grâce à une électricité encore abordable en France, issue de notre parc électronucléaire historique.

Source: lafrancehumaniste.fr · archived copy

Dominique de Villepin · Commitment · Water and Environment · February 10, 2026 · Direct link with AI

Impose an algorithmic eco-design criterion

We must impose an algorithmic eco-design criterion: performance must no longer justify energy waste.
Original French quote
Nous devons imposer un critère d'éco-conception algorithmique : la performance ne doit plus justifier le gaspillage énergétique.

Source: lafrancehumaniste.fr · archived copy

Dominique de Villepin · Commitment · Siting and Land · August 24, 2025 · Indirect link with AI

Require priority siting of data centers on brownfield sites

For example, we will need to require priority siting of data centers on brownfield sites.
Original French quote
Il nous faudra par exemple imposer l’implantation prioritaire des centres de données sur des friches.

Source: lafrancehumaniste.fr · archived copy

Dominique de Villepin · Goal · Water and Environment · August 24, 2025 · Indirect link with AI

Organizing the recovery of heat from data centers for urban networks

The heat given off by data centers can supply urban networks if we organize its recovery and its injection.
Original French quote
La chaleur dégagée par les centres de données peut alimenter les réseaux urbains si nous organisons sa récupération et son injection.

Source: lafrancehumaniste.fr · archived copy

Emmanuel Dubuisson · Commitment · Sovereign Hosting and Moratorium · June 5, 2026 · Indirect link with AI

Equipping France with sovereign data center hubs, some of them in the Outre-mer

France must have sovereign data center hubs, some of them in the Outre-mer.
Original French quote
La France doit disposer de hubs de datacenters souverains, dont une partie dans les Outre-mer.

Source: media-kit.dubuisson2027.fr · archived copy

Emmanuel Maurel · Principle · Water and Environment · Direct link with AI

Prioritize Less Energy-Intensive AI Models

models that are less energy-intensive and less damaging to the environment.
Original French quote
des modèles moins énergivores et dommageables à l’environnement.

Source: emmanuel-maurel.fr · archived copy

Emmanuel Maurel · Principle · Grid Connection and Power Consumption · Direct link with AI

Equipping France with Sovereign Computing Capacity Powered by Decarbonized Electricity

sovereign computing capacity, powered by our decarbonized electricity;
Original French quote
des capacités de calcul souveraines, alimentées par notre électricité décarbonée ;

Source: emmanuel-maurel.fr · archived copy

François Ruffin · Commitment · Siting and Land · October 8, 2026 · Indirect link with AI

Require an independent counter-assessment, funded by the project developer, before any vote by elected officials on a data center

Before any deliberation: a complete file submitted at the same time to all the elected officials concerned and made public; an independent counter-assessment funded by the project developer through a common fund
Original French quote
Avant toute délibération : un dossier complet remis en même temps à tous les élus concernés et rendu public ; une contre-expertise indépendante financée par le porteur via un fonds commun

Source: nouspresident.fr · archived copy

François Ruffin · Commitment · Taxation and Attractiveness · October 8, 2026 · Indirect link with AI

Eliminating the reduced electricity tax rate for non-strategic data centers

offers operators of giga-data centers a reduced rate of 12 euros per megawatt-hour on the electricity tax, compared with 26 euros for other consumers. More than 50% off, granted precisely to the largest consumers. We will put an end to it for non-strategic projects.
Original French quote
offre aux exploitants de giga-data centers un tarif réduit de 12 euros par mégawattheure sur la taxe électricité, contre 26 euros pour les autres consommateurs. Plus de 50 % de réduction, accordée précisément aux plus gros consommateurs. Nous y mettrons fin pour les projets non stratégiques.

Source: nouspresident.fr · archived copy

François Ruffin · Commitment · Grid and Connection · October 8, 2026 · Indirect link with AI

Placing non-strategic data centers behind fundamental needs and industry in grid connections

RTE will set up priority queues: fundamental needs (hospitals, housing, schools, etc.), electrification, French and European industry first, non-strategic data centers next.
Original French quote
RTE mettra en place des files d’attente prioritaires : les besoins fondamentaux (hôpitaux, logements, écoles etc.), l’électrification, l’industrie française et européenne d’abord, les data centers non stratégiques ensuite.

Source: nouspresident.fr · archived copy

François Ruffin · Goal · Sovereign Hosting and Moratorium · October 8, 2026 · Indirect link with AI

Financing data centers located in France with European capital

Data centers require massive capital: these investments will be European
Original French quote
Les data centers demandent des capitaux massifs : ces investissements seront européens

Source: nouspresident.fr · archived copy

François Ruffin · Commitment · Siting and Land · October 8, 2026 · Indirect link with AI

No farmland or natural land to be developed for a data center as long as a suitable brownfield site exists

No agricultural or natural land will be developed for a data center as long as a suitable brownfield site exists.
Original French quote
Aucune terre agricole ou naturelle ne sera artificialisée pour un data center tant qu’une friche adaptée existe.

Source: nouspresident.fr · archived copy

François Ruffin · Commitment · Siting and Land · October 8, 2026 · Indirect link with AI

Eliminate the major national interest project status for data centers

We will put an end to the major national interest project status for data centers.
Original French quote
Nous mettrons fin au statut de projet d’intérêt national majeur pour les data centers.

Source: nouspresident.fr · archived copy

François Ruffin · Commitment · Grid Connection and Power Consumption · October 8, 2026 · Direct link with AI

Requiring non-critical tasks, including AI model training, to be paused during consumption peaks

during national consumption peaks, the law will require non-critical tasks to be paused, starting with the training of AI models.
Original French quote
lors des pics de consommation nationaux, la loi imposera de mettre en pause les tâches non critiques , à commencer par l’entraînement des modèles d’IA.

Source: nouspresident.fr · archived copy

François Ruffin · Commitment · Siting and Land · October 8, 2026 · Indirect link with AI

Make referral to the Commission nationale du débat public mandatory from the first act of a major project

For major projects, referral will be mandatory from the first act that commits the territory, sale agreement, transfer, amendment of the urban planning scheme
Original French quote
Pour les grands projets, la saisine sera obligatoire dès le premier acte qui engage le territoire , promesse de vente, cession, modification du plan d’urbanisme

Source: nouspresident.fr · archived copy

François Ruffin · Commitment · Siting and Land · October 8, 2026 · Indirect link with AI

Consult residents of affected municipalities before any final decision on a data center

Residents of the affected municipalities will be consulted before any final decision; an unfavorable result will open a mandatory review and trigger the municipality's suspensive veto.
Original French quote
Les habitants des communes impactées seront consultés avant toute décision définitive ; un résultat défavorable ouvrira un réexamen obligatoire et déclenchera le veto suspensif de la commune.

Source: nouspresident.fr · archived copy

François Ruffin · Commitment · Water and Environment · October 8, 2026 · Direct link with AI

Require every data center project to be declared in a single ICPE application

Obligation to declare every project in a single ICPE (Installation classée pour la protection de l'environnement) application. Without this, sites can be split into several sub-sites and thus fall below the Seveso thresholds.
Original French quote
Obligation de déclarer tout projet sur un seul dossier ICPE (Installation classée pour la protection de l’environnement) Sans cela, les sites peuvent être découpés en plusieurs sous-sites et ainsi passer sous les seuils Seveso.

Source: nouspresident.fr · archived copy

François Ruffin · Commitment · Grid Connection and Power Consumption · October 8, 2026 · Indirect link with AI

Reserving a fixed share of electricity for digital technology, decided by a citizens' assembly chosen by lot

we will reserve for digital technology a set fraction of our electricity, written into the Stratégie nationale bas carbone. No more, no less. This fraction will not be set in a ministerial office: a citizens' assembly chosen by lot and informed will decide it
Original French quote
nous réserverons au numérique une fraction déterminée de notre électricité , inscrite dans la Stratégie nationale bas carbone. Ni plus, ni moins. Cette fraction ne sera pas fixée dans un cabinet ministériel : une assemblée citoyenne tirée au sort et informée l’arbitrera

Source: nouspresident.fr · archived copy

François Ruffin · Commitment · Siting and Land · October 8, 2026 · Indirect link with AI

Give the host municipality binding approval or a suspensive veto over very large data centers

The host municipality will have binding approval over any change to the urban planning scheme making a very large data center project possible, or failing that a reasoned suspensive veto.
Original French quote
La commune d’implantation disposera d’un avis conforme sur toute évolution du plan d’urbanisme rendant possible un très grand projet de data center, ou à défaut d’un veto suspensif motivé.

Source: nouspresident.fr · archived copy

François Ruffin · Costed measure · Siting and Land · October 8, 2026 · Indirect link with AI

Introduce a five-year moratorium on non-sovereign data center projects

We propose a five-year moratorium on non-sovereign data center projects, the organization of public debates on existing projects
Original French quote
Nous proposons un moratoire de cinq ans sur les projets de centres de données non souverains, l’organisation de débats publics sur les projets existants

Source: nouspresident.fr · archived copy

François Ruffin · Commitment · Grid Connection and Power Consumption · September 9, 2026 · Indirect link with AI

Cap data centers' electricity consumption and require heat recovery

The deployment of data centers will be much more regulated, so that heat is recovered to heat buildings in the territories concerned, and an electricity consumption cap will be defined democratically, so that their development does not monopolize all electricity production.
Original French quote
Le déploiement des centres de données sera beaucoup plus encadré, afin que la chaleur soit récupérée pour chauffer les bâtiments des territoires concernés, et un plafond de consommation d’électricité sera défini démocratiquement, afin que leur développement n’accapare pas toute la production d’électricité.

Source: nouspresident.fr · archived copy

François Ruffin · Statement · Siting and Land · September 9, 2026 · Indirect link with AI

Criticism of the use of farmland to build data centers for American digital groups

While the country has been debating food sovereignty for years, it is suddenly no longer an issue when it comes to sacrificing farmland to build the data centers of the American digital giants.
Original French quote
Alors que le pays débat de souveraineté alimentaire depuis des années, il n’en est soudain plus question lorsqu’il s’agit de sacrifier des terres agricoles pour construire les datacenters des géants américains du numérique.

Source: nouspresident.fr · archived copy

François Ruffin · Goal · Siting and Land · Indirect link with AI

Better regulating the establishment of data centers to reduce soil artificialization

Beyond the question of housing, reducing soil artificialization will also have to involve better regulation of the establishment of commercial spaces, logistics platforms or data centers, and more broadly of economic activities
Original French quote
Au-delà de la question des logements, la réduction de l’artificialisation des sols devra également passer par un meilleur encadrement des implantations d’espaces commerciaux, de plateformes logistiques ou encore de data centers, et plus largement d’activités économiques

Source: nouspresident.fr · archived copy

Gabriel Attal · Goal · Grid Connection and Power Consumption · September 23, 2026 · Direct link with AI

Making Electricity Production a Competitive Advantage for French AI

This electricity production must also become a competitive advantage for French industry and artificial intelligence.
Original French quote
Cette production électrique doit aussi devenir un avantage compétitif pour l’industrie et l’intelligence artificielle françaises.

Source: attalpresident.fr · archived copy

Gabriel Attal · Commitment · Grid Connection and Power Consumption · June 17, 2026 · Direct link with AI

Guaranteeing the stability of electricity prices for five years, in particular for data centers

Finally, aware that access to energy is a highly strategic factor for the development of data centers, he makes a commitment to tariff stability on the price of electricity for the next five years.
Original French quote
Enfin, conscient que l'accès à l'énergie est un facteur hautement stratégique pour le développement des centres de calcul, il prend un engagement de stabilité tarifaire sur le prix de l'électricité pour les cinq prochaines années.

Source: attalpresident.fr · archived copy

Gabriel Attal · Commitment · Digital Sovereignty and Cloud · Direct link with AI

Mastering the entire AI chain, with European preference in public procurement

This requires of us a true comprehensive strategy, going from energy production, a decisive asset for France because its electricity mix is 95% decarbonized, to data centers, including the securing of supplies and critical infrastructure, European preference in public procurement and support for sovereign players such as Mistral.
Original French quote
Cela exige de nous une véritable stratégie globale, qui va de la production énergétique, un atout décisif pour la France car son mix électrique est décarboné à 95%, aux data centers, en passant par la sécurisation des approvisionnements et des infrastructures critiques, la préférence européenne dans les marchés publics et le soutien aux acteurs souverains comme Mistral.

Source: attalpresident.fr · archived copy

Gabriel Attal · Commitment · Siting and Land · Indirect link with AI

Strictly control Chinese investments in data centers

strict control of Chinese investments in our most sensitive infrastructure (ports, telecommunications networks, data centers)
Original French quote
un contrôle strict des investissements chinois dans nos infrastructures les plus sensibles (ports, réseaux de télécommunications, centres de données)

Source: attalpresident.fr · archived copy

Jean-Luc Mélenchon · Commitment · Siting and Land · July 22, 2026 · Indirect link with AI

Moratorium on data centers intended for foreign companies subject to U.S. law

We must be able to store our data in a sovereign manner. So first of all we need a moratorium on the construction of data centers intended for foreign private companies, subject to U.S. law.
Original French quote
Nous devons être capable de stocker de manière souveraine nos données. Il faut donc d’abord un moratoire sur la construction des centres de données destinés à des entreprises privées étrangères, soumises au droit américain.

Source: melenchon.fr · archived copy

Jean-Luc Mélenchon · Statement · Siting and Land · July 22, 2026 · Direct link with AI

Question on a moratorium on data center projects and a slowdown in the development of AI

Are you in favor of a moratorium on data center projects and a slowdown in the development of artificial intelligence?
Original French quote
Êtes vous favorable à un moratoire sur les projets de data center et à un ralentissement du développement de l’intelligence artificielle ?

Source: melenchon.fr · archived copy

Jean-Luc Mélenchon · Statement · Water and Environment · July 22, 2026 · Indirect link with AI

States that data centers raise an ecological question

Then these data centers raise an important ecological question.
Original French quote
Ensuite ces data centers soulèvent une question écologique importante.

Source: melenchon.fr · archived copy

Jean-Luc Mélenchon · Statement · Digital Sovereignty and Cloud · June 1, 2026 · Direct link with AI

Data centers, computing, cloud and AI described as sovereignty infrastructure

Data centers, computing capacity, cloud infrastructure and artificial intelligence systems are now sovereignty infrastructure as important as energy, transportation or telecommunications.
Original French quote
Les data centers, les capacités de calcul, les infrastructures cloud et les systèmes d’intelligence artificielle sont désormais des infrastructures de souveraineté aussi importantes que l’énergie, les transports ou les télécommunications.

Source: lafranceinsoumise.fr · archived copy

Jean-Luc Mélenchon · Statement · Siting and Land · June 1, 2026 · Direct link with AI

Mention of SoftBank's announced investments in AI infrastructure and data centers in France

The announcements linked to SoftBank, which mentions up to 75 billion euros of investment in AI infrastructure and data centers in France, illustrate this orientation.
Original French quote
Les annonces liées à SoftBank, qui évoque jusqu’à 75 milliards d’euros d’investissements dans les infrastructures d’IA et les data centers en France, illustrent cette orientation.

Source: lafranceinsoumise.fr · archived copy

Jean-Luc Mélenchon · Statement · Water and Environment · June 1, 2026 · Direct link with AI

Observation on the electricity, water, land and public resource needs of AI infrastructure

AI infrastructure requires immense quantities of electricity, water, land and public resources.
Original French quote
Les infrastructures d’IA nécessitent d’immenses quantités d’électricité, d’eau, de foncier et de ressources publiques.

Source: lafranceinsoumise.fr · archived copy

Jean-Luc Mélenchon · Statement · Siting and Land · June 1, 2026 · Direct link with AI

Criticism of government announcements on data centers and AI infrastructure funded by foreign groups

the government is now celebrating new giant data center and AI infrastructure projects, including several tens of billions of euros backed by foreign groups
Original French quote
le gouvernement célèbre désormais de nouveaux projets géants de data centers et d’infrastructures d’IA, dont plusieurs dizaines de milliards d’euros portés par des groupes étrangers

Source: lafranceinsoumise.fr · archived copy

Jean-Luc Mélenchon · Statement · Siting and Land · May 27, 2026 · Indirect link with AI

Criticism of data center development on farmland and of rising electricity consumption

planting mega data centers everywhere on our farmland does not allow any reduction in our consumption of oil or gas
Original French quote
planter partout des méga-data centers sur nos terres agricoles ne permet aucune réduction de notre consommation de pétrole ou de gaz

Source: lafranceinsoumise.fr · archived copy

Marine Tondelier · Commitment · AI Regulation and the AI Act · July 15, 2026 · Direct link with AI

Require AI system designers to match model size to the complexity of queries

Compel the designers of AI systems (including LLMs such as ChatGPT or Gemini) to adopt a proportionality between the complexity of queries and the size of the models used, in order to limit the energy consumption required.
Original French quote
Contraindre les concepteurs de systèmes AI (dont LLM comme ChatGPT ou Gemini) à adopter une proportionnalité entre la complexité des requêtes et la taille des modèles utilisés afin de limiter la consommation énergétique nécessaire.

Source: marinetondelier.fr · archived copy

Marine Tondelier · Costed measure · Taxation and Attractiveness · July 15, 2026 · Direct link with AI

Raising the digital services tax to 5% and extending it to data center operators

Raising the digital services tax (TSN) from 3 to 5% and lowering the liability threshold to 5 billion in revenue in order to include e-commerce platforms, and extending it to companies that operate data centers.
Original French quote
Relever la taxe sur les services numériques (TSN) de 3 à 5 % et abaisser le seuil d’assujettissement à 5 milliards de chiffre d’affaire pour intégrer les plateformes de e-commerce et l’étendre aux entreprises qui gèrent des data centers.

Source: marinetondelier.fr · archived copy

Marine Tondelier · Commitment · Siting and Land · July 15, 2026 · Indirect link with AI

Bringing data centers back within the scope of the Commission nationale du débat public

Restore data centers and digital infrastructure to the remit of the Commission Nationale du Débat Public.
Original French quote
Rétablir les data centers et les infrastructures numériques dans le champ de compétence de la Commission Nationale du Débat Public.

Source: marinetondelier.fr · archived copy

Marine Tondelier · Commitment · Water and Environment · July 15, 2026 · Indirect link with AI

Identifying drinking water and soil artificialization issues linked to data centers

Also identify the concerns regarding the use of drinking water and soil artificialization.
Original French quote
Identifier également les soins concernant l’utilisation de l’eau potable et l’artificialisation des sols.

Source: marinetondelier.fr · archived copy

Marine Tondelier · Commitment · Grid Connection and Power Consumption · July 15, 2026 · Indirect link with AI

Planning data centers' electricity consumption at the national and territorial levels

Planning their potential electricity consumption at the national level and by territory in order to anticipate conflicts of use with other sectors undergoing electrification (industry, transport, etc.).
Original French quote
Planifier leur consommation électrique potentielle au niveau national et par territoire afin d’anticiper sur les conflits d’usages avec les autres secteurs en cours d’électrification (industrie, transport…).

Source: marinetondelier.fr · archived copy

Marine Tondelier · Commitment · Siting and Land · July 15, 2026 · Indirect link with AI

Eliminate the possibility of labeling data centers as a "major national interest project"

Regulate the establishment of data centers. Eliminate the possibility of labeling data centers as a "major national interest project" (PINM), exempting them from impact assessments.
Original French quote
Encadrer l’implantation des data centers. Supprimer la possibilité de labelliser des data centers « projet d’intérêt national majeur » (PINM) les exonérant d’études d’impact.

Source: marinetondelier.fr · archived copy

Marine Tondelier · Commitment · Water and Environment · July 15, 2026 · Indirect link with AI

Develop research on cooling and optimizing data center energy consumption

Develop research on cooling, optimizing consumption and extending the life cycle of components.
Original French quote
Développer la recherche sur le refroidissement, l’optimisation des consommations et l’allongement du cycle de vie des composants.

Source: marinetondelier.fr · archived copy

Marine Tondelier · Commitment · Siting and Land · July 15, 2026 · Indirect link with AI

Setting maximum thresholds conditioning building permits for data centers

Setting maximum thresholds conditioning building permits.
Original French quote
Définir des seuils maximums conditionnant les permis de construire.

Source: marinetondelier.fr · archived copy

Natacha Polony · Principle · Digital Sovereignty and Cloud · September 7, 2026 · Direct link with AI

Rebuilding a national industrial policy for AI, from rare earths to powering data centers

On the contrary, it is because France will rebuild the building blocks of an industrial policy on AI, from the extraction of rare earths to the powering of data centers, in the name of national security, that it will be in a position to draw other European countries onto the path of true independence from the United States.
Original French quote
C’est au contraire parce que la France reconstruira les blocs d’une politique industrielle en matière d’IA, de l’extraction des terres rares à l’alimentation des data centers, au nom de la sécurité nationale, qu’elle sera en position d’entraîner d’autres pays européens dans la voie d’une véritable indépendance vis-à-vis des États-Unis.

Source: revue-laudace.fr · archived copy

Nicolas Dupont-Aignan · Commitment · Water and Environment · February 16, 2026 · Direct link with AI

Using Data Center Heat for District Heating

Take advantage of data center cooling for district heating (from data centers to Smart Cities).
Original French quote
Tirer parti du refroidissement des centres de données pour le chauffage urbain (des datacenters vers les Smart Cities).

Source: debout-la-france.fr · archived copy

Nicolas Dupont-Aignan · Goal · Siting and Land · Direct link with AI

Having mega data-processing and hosting centers that produce heat

Having mega centers for data processing and hosting, eco-responsible and even producers of energy for collective or individual heating.
Original French quote
Avoir des mégacentres de calculs et d’hébergement de données, éco-responsables et même producteurs d’énergie pour le chauffage collectif ou individuel.

Source: debout-la-france.fr · archived copy

Sarah Knafo · Commitment · Electricity Sector Organization and Market · March 17, 2025 · Indirect link with AI

Ending merit order pricing on the European electricity market

Sustainable and competitive energy is essential to encourage investment in digital infrastructure, which consumes a great deal of energy. Recommendation No. 6 The European electricity market should be reformed by ending the merit order mechanism
Original French quote
Une énergie durable et compétitive est essentielle pour favoriser les investissements dans les infrastructures numériques, très consommatrices d’énergie. Recommandation n° 6 Il faudrait réformer le marché européen de l’électricité en mettant fin au mécanisme de l’ordre de mérite

Source: souverainete-technologique.fr · archived copy

Xavier Bertrand · Statement · Siting and Land · September 25, 2026 · Direct link with AI

States that France can impose its conditions on data centers located on its soil

We impose our conditions, because it is in our country that they are located,
Original French quote
On impose nos conditions, car c'est chez nous qu'ils sont installés,

Reported by BFMTV (BFM Tech) · bfmtv.com · archived copy

Édouard Philippe · Commitment · Grid Connection and Power Consumption · Direct link with AI

Open preferential access to decarbonized energy for national and European AI players

Open preferential access to our decarbonized energy for national and European players, with connection rules inspired by the British AI Growth Zones.
Original French quote
Ouvrir un accès préférentiel à notre énergie décarbonée pour les acteurs nationaux et européens , avec des règles de raccordement inspirées des AI Growth Zones britanniques.

Source: edouardphilippe.fr · archived copy