“And one, and two…and five more years!” Half a thousand activists are present this Saturday, March 12 in Marseille for what was to be the first major meeting of the outgoing president’s campaign. Except that the candidate Macron could not make the trip, President Macron being still occupied by the war in Ukraine. It was therefore Gabriel Attal and Gérald Darmanin who took over the interim. “Already, two of his ministers, it’s good“consoles an activist. “IThey want us to have the shameful campaign. We will have the happy campaign, and at the end the victorious campaign! launched the government spokesman on the scene. Fight in the coming weeks. Never let our opponents denigrate our action.”
But then why come if it’s not to see the candidate? “We only come to bring good vibes so that he can get by”, said a spectator. “This side of needing to see people firsthand, to touch them, it’s still a little bit outdated”says another, before a third activist adds: “People who go to church, they don’t see Jesus, huh! But they’re going!”
Emmanuel Macron is well ahead in the polls. Corn “militants must be kept under pressure”, repeats his entourage. And obviously it works. “In my city of Aix-en-Provence, it’s Pécresse, Pécresse, Pécresse”says another supporter. “If you convince people around you, you are an activist!”reassures her one last time.
“His enemy is not the opponents, it’s abstention. Because everyone will say to themselves: it’s acquired, it’s him who passes. You have to be careful and you have to go and vote. Nothing is acquired.”
An activist En Marche in Marseilleat franceinfo
Especially since it is not easy to defend a candidacy without a program recognizes this local animator from La République en Marche: “Right now, we’re campaigning on the balance sheet: what’s changed for the better in five years?frustrates me a bit. I don’t just support the character, I also support his program. But for his program, we don’t know him too much.”
The program is to be unveiled this week, according to a video message from the president broadcast on Saturday. To win, Sabrina Roubache, LREM regional councilor and claimed friend of the Macron couple, is counting on the support of activists until the end: “IWe will have to be the supporters not of the first, not of the last hour, but of the last quarter of an hour”.