Hard-left politician Jean-Luc Melenchon has promised to "change everything" if he wins France's presidential election next spring.
Electoral law prevents incumbent President Emmanuel Macron from seeking a third consecutive term, and many of the leading contenders to succeed him, including Melenchon and far-right figurehead Marine Le Pen, have already begun campaigning.
Addressing 20,000 supporters at his campaign launch rally, the 75-year-old Melenchon, who represents the France Unbowed party, set out the main points of his agenda, titled A Shared Future.
"I have only one reasonable thing to propose to you. It is, in fact, quite moderate. Just one thing: we must change everything," he said.
Melenchon said his party was "paving the way for a major political shift in France", and referred to the recent widespread civil unrest across the country as "the death throes of the Macron era, marked by savagery, police brutality, and the unpredictable, violent outbursts at the end of demonstrations".
Current opinion polls suggest Melenchon could reach the final run-off election and go head-to-head with Le Pen before losing to her.
Le Pen has been beaten by Macron in the final round of the last two elections and Melenchon dismissed her National Rally party as having "no idea other than racism".
His other policy proposals include restoring retirement to 60 for those who have contributed for long enough, tax reform, an increase to the minimum wage, and the winding-down of the country's nuclear power system in favor of an electricity system powered by renewable sources.
Melenchon also backs France's withdrawal from the NATO military alliance.
Le Pen launched her presidential bid late last month. In July, the appeal court in Paris upheld her conviction for misusing European Union funds, a verdict she is currently challenging, but under the terms of her sentence, she must wear an electronic ankle tag for a period that will include the campaign and election.
She dismissed Melenchon's proposals as a "plan to dismantle France" saying: "It takes the process of deconstruction initiated by Emmanuel Macron since he came to power to its logical conclusion."
Center-right candidate Edouard Philippe, who previously served as prime minister under Macron, criticized what he called Melenchon's "communitarian vision" and his "administered economy", and said the candidates of the far left and far right had "many points in common", particularly their "hatred of European integration" and desire to leave NATO.
