(Paris) French President Emmanuel Macron, the current presidential favorite in April whose campaign is largely overshadowed by the war in Ukraine, promised Thursday during the presentation of his program a “more independent nation”, especially on the military level. , to defend France against “future crises”, also promising to “invest massively” in agriculture and industry.
Posted at 2:47 p.m.
“A more independent nation in a stronger Europe”, launched Emmanuel Macron during a press conference in the Paris region which lasted four hours. “Our societies have to experience the return of crises, the one I mentioned, which we have known, the return of war, on our continent”, he launched in his introductory remarks.
Three weeks before the presidential election, the Head of State presented some thirty flagship measures, particularly on employment, immigration, pensions, end of life and even institutions, and answered questions from journalists (320 were accredited), including several dozen international media.
France is experiencing a presidential election campaign without much relief and completely apart, hit first by the COVID-19 crisis, then the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Emmanuel Macron, the big favorite in all the polls with 30% of voting intentions, has given priority to his diplomatic efforts in recent weeks.
In this introductory remark, he considered that France was going to have to make “sometimes historic choices for our nation and for our Europe” in the “months and years to come”, to “be able to defend itself against crises”, “better protect” the French and “make our country stronger”.
In the unprecedented context of the “tragic” situation experienced by Europe since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, Mr. Macron chose to discuss at length at the beginning of his speech his program concerning defense (“intensify” investments, generalize universal national service, increase reservists in particular).
“We must, by continuing this effort, continue to gain flexibility, adaptability for our armies, in particular in the face of new types of conflict,” he said.
Emmanuel Macron then promised, to “make a more independent nation”, to invest massively for “agricultural, industrial and creative independence” from France.
“If we want a more united society, we must fight more for inequalities at the root”, he also launched, promising to make school and health – always too “sources of inequalities” – two “major projects”.
“Heinous War”
On one of the subjects traditionally sources of tension in France – the retirement age – the candidate Macron proposes a postponement of the retirement age to 65 years. “We have to work harder,” he said.
Emmanuel Macron, president who is both seductive and brittle, even brutal, has gone through a tumultuous five-year term with a consummate art of adaptation and by practicing a solitary and vertical exercise of power.
Thursday, he admitted having “sometimes made blunders”. “No doubt my temperament has taken me too far; I have, in this respect, probably learned, ”he judged.
The youngest president France has ever had, the former economy minister of ex-socialist president François Hollande was propelled to the top in 2017 at just 39 years old, masterfully using his image as an outsider or a right or left, and surfing on the disintegration of traditional parties.
Praised by his supporters, the president is just as much hated by part of the population. However, he came from the left, very early on he was called the “president of the rich” and of the urbanized elites, and in particular took particularly decried measures at the start of his mandate: the abolition of the wealth tax and the reduction of housing assistance.
Emmanuel Macron, Friday on a campaign trip to the south-west of France, should then continue to be rare, with for the moment only one rally in sight, April 2 in Paris.
Regarding the situation in Ukraine and in particular in the martyr city of Mariupol – besieged by Russian forces and where 2,000 civilians died according to local authorities – the president said he was “shocked by the scenes we saw in Mariupol and elsewhere” and denounced an “odious war”.
Asked if he planned to visit Kyiv, the president said he was “not ruling anything out”, but would do so “when it is useful”. “My role is rather to wait for the right moment,” he added.