President Emmanuel Macron presented his vision of a stronger, more just France during a televised news conference that lasted deep into the Parisian night on Tuesday. He vowed to “break taboos,” deregulate the economy, and fight against the extreme right.
Mr. Macron stated that he will put an end to useless norms, favor those who innovate and create, cut red tape, facilitate hiring, and encourage the unemployed to take up job offers. He aims for a France of good sense rather than a France of hassles.
The president emphasized his determination to stop Marine Le Pen, the far-right leader and perennial presidential candidate, again. He described her National Rally party’s program as incoherent and a guarantee of a weaker France. He declared, “Until the last 15 minutes of my presidency, I will fight.”
However, Mr. Macron’s promise of renewed deregulation is likely to face resistance from those who value a high degree of state-financed social protection in France. The country has already experienced pro-market changes during his first term, which reduced unemployment to its lowest level in years.
Mr. Macron’s decision to address the nation comes after he appointed Gabriel Attal, 34, as the youngest prime minister in the history of the Fifth Republic. It is a response to the sense of drift that has characterized his second presidential term.
During his second term, Mr. Macron has overseen tumultuous overhauls of the legal retirement age and immigration policy, while Marine Le Pen has gained ground in the polls. His shake-up at the start of the new year is partly aimed at preventing Le Pen from succeeding him.
Mr. Macron criticized Le Pen’s party as the party of lies and easy anger. He questioned whether a weakened Europe with France standing alone would be beneficial in a world marked by rapid technological change, instability, and war.
Seated on a podium, Mr. Macron delivered an extended, at times professorial, disquisition on the state of France and its role in a troubled world. He described the United States as a democracy in crisis, emphasizing the need for Europe to unite and become capable of protecting itself.
A Russia that had flouted international law through its invasion of a neighbor…
2024-01-16 19:54:29
Link from www.nytimes.com
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