PARIS (Reuters) – French President Emmanuel Macron called Friday the “shocking” pay package for Stellantis, the CEO of Franco-Italian automaker Stellantis, “shocking” in a tight-run French presidential election. Excessive executive pay has become a topic.

Only 9 days before the runoff to determine the leader of the European Union’s 2nd-largest economic sector for the next 5 years, polls have shown that Macron is just slightly ahead of Le Pen. This could be a race that could go either direction.

Carlos Tavares is the Stellantis CEO and his 2021 compensation package includes a stock option worth 32 million euros, long-term compensatory of approximately 25 millions euros, as well as a compensation package totaling around 19 million Euros ($20.5million).

Macron said that “we’re speaking about enormous sums here… we should set a limit on them, this could work if you act at an European level,” franceinfo radio.

Macron stated that people cannot have buying power difficulties, anxiety, and purchasing problems in their lives, and still see such sums, and added that society would end up “exploding”.

Le Pen agreed with his remarks.

It is absolutely shocking. This is even more surprising when the CEO has caused financial difficulties for the company and receives substantial sums,” she stated to BFM TV, suggesting that one way to compensate such remuneration would be to increase staff shareholdings.

Stellantis spokesperson said that Stellantis does not make comments on the positions of politicians and that Stellantis would detail the compensation package in their 2022 remuneration plan.

On Wednesday, just over 52% of shareholders opposed the compensation package. This was in consultation vote.

($1 = 0.9257 euros)