A unanimous press. “In meetings, Macron paints himself red to seduce the left”title Release. “The helm to the left of Emmanuel Macron”press Point. “Emmanuel Macron addresses his left and tries to rectify the narrative of his campaign”gear The world. The outgoing president, candidate for re-election, has just suddenly steered his campaign to the full left during his only campaign meeting, Saturday, April 2. A turning point, when only its measures classified on the right, such as retirement at 65 or the reform of the RSA, had so far broken through the media sound barrier and marked public opinion. The Republican candidate, Valérie Pécresse, had even accused the head of state of plagiarizing his program.
Macron, a right-wing candidate? This label is not without posing a real difficulty for macronists. “Emmanuel Macron is running after the left-wing electorate which could fail him in the second round”, recalls political scientist Bruno Cautrès. The outgoing president was not mistaken in calling, during the meeting on Saturday at La Défense Arena, in Nanterre (Hauts-de-Seine), “all those, from social democracy to Gaullism, including environmentalists” to join him.
It was also during this rally designed as a show of force that Emmanuel Macron stole a historic formula from the left, prompting an avalanche of comments. Referring to the Ehpad Orpea scandal which “should never exist again, ever”the president launched in front of his 30,000 supporters: “Our lives, their lives are worth more than all the profits.” A clear reference to Philippe Poutou’s NPA slogan. The far-left candidate immediately accused the Head of State of having plagiarized his party.
While his rich friends are stealing public money, Macron is stealing our slogans. Definitely, these people dare everything, it’s even how we recognize them. https://t.co/fEZOtSG5bL
— Philippe Poutou (@PhilippePoutou) April 2, 2022
It wasn’t the only nod to the left. The figure of François Mitterrand was also summoned through his famous 1981 campaign slogan, “the quiet force”, to evoke a theme dear to the left: equality. “Faced with a crazy world (…), where billions still too often go to billions and poverty too often to poverty, there is nothing more powerful than the taste for equality”launched Emmanuel Macron.
“Faced with those who try to sow the poison of division, to fragment, to fracture men, there is nothing more powerful than the quiet strength of brotherhood.”
Emmanuel Macronduring his meeting at La Défense Arena
The Head of State did not only do symbolism and historical references. The topics discussed, whether in his meeting or in an interview on France Inter Monday, through the proposals of his program, lean more to the left. Bonus for employees from this summer up to 6,000 euros, minimum pension for retirees at 1,100 euros but also measures for single mothers and priority given to health and education. Emmanuel Macron endorses the figure of the protector, ensuring that he does not “will never solve” to injustice. What to restore fishing to the left wing of the macronie, little audible and little visible during the quinquennium. “It suits us well at Territories of Progress, we have of course the strength of our values which are progress and solidarity”, rejoices Minister Emmanuelle Wargon.
“There was a desire to give a social and progressive tone to this speech.”
Emmanuelle Wargon, Minister in charge of Housingat franceinfo
Other majority executives refute the idea of a move to the left, seeing in it the simple confirmation of the overcoming of divisions advocated by Emmanuel Macron. “It is the illustration of a program that stands on its own two legs”says a secretary of state. “He made ‘at the same time’ balanced at human height, with proposals on health, education, employment”also welcomes Senator François Patriat. “The challenge is to show the overall balance of the program and the preserved desire to overcome divisions!” supports MP Roland Lescure.
The tone of the recent positions of the president-candidate nevertheless gives the impression of a rebalancing of the campaign. “If you wanted to hear a speech from the left, it was yesterday afternoon”, thus tackled Xavier Bertrand about the meeting of Emmanuel Macron, during a rally on Sunday for Valérie Pécresse. The Head of State has thus made a point of making corrections on two divisive points of his program: the reform of the RSA and retirement at 65 years of age.
Emmanuel Macron had announced, during the presentation of his program, a reform of the RSA with “a better balance of rights and duties” and “the obligation to devote 15 to 20 hours a week” to an activity facilitating professional integration. But he wanted to clarify things during his meeting. “It is not, as some have claimed, work of general interest”detailed the candidate in a desire for pedagogy.
“It’s simply a matter of reaching out and offering all RSA beneficiaries prospects, hope…”
Emmanuel Macronduring his meeting at La Défense Arena
According to the Macronists, it was public opinion’s reception of Emmanuel Macron’s program that would have given his start to the campaign a right-wing tone. “He had the impression of being caricatured seeing that part of his proposals were retained, while his project is more balanced”, confides a member of the government. “For example, we forgot to say that with the reform of the RSA, there was also the attribution at source of all social assistance”, adds François Patriat.
On pensions, Emmanuel Macron still defends the postponement of the legal age to 65, but also insists on the counterparties. “Today, small pensions live badly. (…) I want, for the next five years, to build the minimum pension, for a full pension, at 1,100 euros, it is a contribution”, he explained on France Inter. Some in the majority are even trying to pass the postponement of the legal age as a social advance. “Retirement at 65 is not a right-wing measure. It is about guaranteeing the social model by distribution over timebelieves a secretary of state. With the retirement at 60 of Marine Le Pen, the amount of pensions will not be guaranteed and only those who can afford additional will get by.
In the same tone, Emmanuel Macron wanted to have the teachers applauded during his meeting, while leaving aside the speech on the counterparties. On France Inter, however, he did not dodge the question, recalling that he wanted to change things, because the current system “probably works too monolithically”. But he also insisted on the role of the teaching staff: “Our teachers are what makes our Republic. (…) We need them and they are essential.”
Are all these winks sent in the direction of his left wing linked to the tightening of the curves in the opinion polls? If the Head of State still enjoys a lead which, according to the polls, seems to guarantee him qualification for the second round, the gap with Marine Le Pen is narrowing. Turning to the left-wing electorate, Emmanuel Macron is also preparing for a possible second round against the president of the National Rally.
But the effectiveness of this strategy remains to be proven. “In the left-wing electorate which considers that it is necessary to fight against injustice, is Emmanuel Macron perceived as credible? He is not sure that this will bring him so many left-wing votersasks Bruno Cautrès. And the more we communicate in the last hours of the campaign, (…) the more the aspect of electoral tactics appears.