Presidential: Emmanuel Macron held his first and only campaign meeting

Emmanuel Macron makes the show in 2 hours of all the presidential candidates, republishing the projects of each in a clear and revolutionary vision, very collective and associative.

The only major rally in a first-round campaign by Emmanuel Macron that is out of momentum, it is an understatement to say that the meeting organized in Paris – La Défense Arena, this Saturday, was expected.

An “American” show. It is true that the layout of the room, with a central stage in the shape of a hexagon, its large screen in the background, had something to think of an American presidential convention, but produced in a French scenario.

Emmanuel Macron praised his record, presented his project, addressed all the themes of the program, welcomed his supporters and attacked his opponents, particularly those on the far right, but took up the ideas of left-wing parties.

It was not so revolutionary: the candidate declaimed, teleprompters in support, a speech of two good hours, surveying the central stage from one desk to another, facing an enthusiastic but not completely filled room.

The president-candidate him, traces his route, without commenting on the polls. For 2 hours and 20 minutes, drugged on himself, he piled up Macronist antiphons, hollow concepts, evoking « the laboratory of the will », « the militants of the ideal », « the fight for progress against withdrawal »,  » going beyond, which is not an erasing of differences, but which is nourished by the inspirations of each” – will understand who can.

In addition to the 300 deputies and 1,500 local elected officials present on the scene, more than 30,000 people were expected in a room that could hold 40,000. Was the gauge reached? To achieve this, its teams notably stood out by organizing a competition to reward with goodies or a « special moment after the meeting », the activists who convinced the most people to go to the rally.

After five years at the head of the country, Emmanuel Macron, official presidential candidate for less than a month, remains to this day the competitor who seems best placed to win the election, according to the results of the polls which give it all. in the lead, with an average of 29% of voting intentions in the first round, and a victory, regardless of his opponent, in the second, with between 55% and 65% of the vote.

Behind the scenes, however, doubt is likely to creep in: an Elabe study published on Wednesday showed for the first time a superposition of the margins of error between Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron in the event of a second round between them.

At a meeting on Wednesday March 30 in Val-de-Marne, the former Prime Minister urged voters to mobilize. For him, the scenario of a defeat for Emmanuel Macron cannot be ruled out.

The outgoing president first tried to take stock of his first term: « It was our project, and it is now our assessment, we have done it », welcomed Emmanuel Macron. And to add: « Despite the crises, we have kept our promises. (…) The unemployment rate is at its lowest for 15 years. »

Thus Emmanuel Macron wanted to put forward a « project of real rights, solidarity, social progress ». A project which will be based on measures such as the tripling of the Macron bonus, the 50% increase in aid for single mothers, a purchasing power bonus of up to a thousand euros, or the recruitment of 50,000 nurses and nursing assistants as well as the strengthening of controls to guarantee the dignity of the elderly.

Finally, the president-candidate, little present in the campaign, chose to concentrate his interventions by taking his time: he had already spent almost four hours in a press conference on February 17. After having leaned clearly to the right that day (RSA conditionally, retirement at 65, etc.), Emmanuel Macron seemed to be playing on a different register this Saturday. He denounced the inequalities that reign in the country.

« The real purchasing power is that which comes from work, » said Emmanuel Macron. For his second five-year term, in the event of re-election, the president will set up a purchasing power bonus for workers of up to 6,000 euros.

“As of this summer, I want to allow workers to receive a purchasing power bonus of up to 6,000 euros without charges or taxes,” he announced.

“The self-employed will earn more, 550 euros more each year at the level of the Smic. (…) Again, these five more years must be the five years of work, merit, freedom, we must continue to move forward, and we will create the universal time savings account, « he said. he adds.

The president-candidate returned to what he intends to change in the French education system.

« We will strengthen the teaching of French and mathematics up to the baccalaureate, we will generalize sport at school with half an hour of sport per day at school from September, we will carry out a complete revolution in the vocational high school, a path of excellence,” he said.
Other sectors mentioned: education and health, two areas affected by the health crisis. « The social elevator is still too broken, » he admitted. For health, « we must go further », also conceded Emmanuel Macron. He made a point of paying tribute as well to the teaching staff, the « craftsmen of the Republic » as to the health personnel, who must face « exhaustion ».

More socially oriented, Macron clarifies his RSA and pension reforms

Emmanuel Macron also returned to his promises of lower taxes and a return to full employment while specifying his proposal for reform of the RSA. « We will set up training, integration and reintegration activities for the beneficiaries » and « it is not a question, as some have claimed, of work of general interest, even less of wanting to cut helps those whom life has damaged too much ».
“We will continue to carry out the essential reforms on unemployment insurance (…) to give more freedom to all our entrepreneurs (…). We will put in place for the beneficiaries of the RSA 15 to 20 hours per week of training and reintegration activities on the model of what we have been doing since March 1 with the youth engagement contract for 18-25 year olds.

He defends the postponement of the retirement age to 65, he took the opportunity to crush his opponents, very critical of this proposal. « Do not believe those who explain to you that they will retire at 60 or 62, (…) and that everything will be fine, it’s not true, » he insisted.

After being criticized in recent weeks for having presented only right-wing measures so far, to the point of being accused by Valérie Pécresse of resuming his program, Emmanuel Macron launched a few nods to the left with a part of his speech devoted to purchasing power. His 2022 project is, he assures us, a project of « real rights, solidarity, social progress. » He even goes further by implying that he is an anti-system candidate: « The system will tell us that it is impossible, and we will do it! »

In addition, the candidate paid tribute to caregivers for their mobilization during the health crisis.

“I have a thought for them, moved, mobilized, because they continue to fight in hospitals, in their offices, not simply against the Covid which continues to rage, against the forms of long Covid, and against all the illnesses we cannot forget, applaud our caregivers,” he said.

He advocates a « united France », which « looks itself in the face, in its plurality », and so, after another nod to the socialists by integrating François Mitterand’s slogan of 1981 (« There is no more powerful than the quiet strength of fraternity »), he calls for « not to dilute our forces in divisions ».

The Head of State wanted to say a few words for his closest entourage. « To all of them, I want them to know the place they have taken by my side, I don’t say it, I know it enough, I sometimes say it badly, but of those of the first impossible fights until to those who have joined in recent weeks,” declared Emmanuel Macron in order to salute all his supporters.

He then thanked his family: “I want my family, my parents, our children, our grandchildren, my brothers and sisters, all those to whom I have made live for so many years lives of constraint that they do not have not chosen, I simply want to tell them my gratitude and my affection, thank you ».

Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to his wife: « And then, you all know, without needing to say more, the presence of the one who matters most to me, who brings me the most in this singular adventure. of life, Brigitte ».

Emmanuel Macron recalled the importance of mobilizing in the face of the rise of the far right: « We have become accustomed to seeing anti-Semitic authors parade on certain television sets, other racists, magnanimous all day long, do not don’t whistle, fight them with ideas, with respect. »

More clearly still, Emmanuel Macron evoked the « extremist danger » and « hate » and the « alternative truths » which have become commonplace, through « certain television sets » which scroll « anti-Semitic authors, other racists » . A spade which provoked the reaction of Eric Zemmour, inviting the head of state to debate with him.

The candidate made a point of stressing that he was not one of those « who stir up fears and seek scapegoats, it is useless » when he repeatedly mentioned the war in Ukraine.

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Gabriel MIHAI

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