- Title: France's Macron casts himself as last defence against far-right as vote nears
- Date: 19th April 2022
- Summary: BRY-SUR-MARNE, FRANCE (RECENT - MARCH 24, 2022) (REUTERS) CAMPAIGN POSTER OF MACRON WITH CAPTION THAT READS (French) "EMMANUEL MACRON WITH YOU"
- Embargoed: 3rd May 2022 11:03
- Keywords: COVID-19 Emmanuel Macron Ukraine Yellow Vests presidential election rally vote
- Location: VARIOUS LOCATIONS
- City: VARIOUS LOCATIONS
- Country: France
- Topics: Europe,Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA00E156013042022RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: PROFILE OF FRENCH FAR-RIGHT NATIONAL RALLY CANDIDATE, MARINE LE PEN, CAN BE FOUND IN EDIT 1484-FRANCE-ELECTION/LE PEN-PROFILE
CONTAINS PROFANE LANGUAGE
Incumbent French president Emmanuel Macron has been attempting to present himself as the only alternative to stop the far-right as he faces Marine Le Pen for the second round of the presidential election on Sunday (April 24).
Macron became France's youngest leader since Napoleon five years ago, pitching himself as a political outsider who would break the old left-right dichotomy, make France more investor-friendly and make the European Union stronger.
He seemed destined for a steady climb up the ranks of the French establishment when he decided to apply his skills as a deal-making investment banker to the world of politics. But since striking out on his own in August 2016 after only two years as a minister, he has tapped into widespread disenchantment to broadcast a strong anti-establishment message.
He cut taxes for big business and the wealthy, loosened labour laws, and marketed France Inc. as a start-up nation, but anti-government 'yellow vest' protests and then the COVID-19 pandemic forced him to slow his reform plans.
The French leader plans to double down on supply-side reforms he has implemented during his first mandate, with the main plank of his manifesto being an increase in the minimum pension age to 65 from 62.
Prior to the first round of the election far-right's Le Pen successfully tapped into anger over the cost of living and a perception that Macron is disconnected from everyday hardships. That saw her finish with 23.1% of votes compared to 27.85% for Macron.
The vote next Sunday is a repeat of the 2017 match-up in the second round. Then, Macron, a pro-European Union centrist, easily beat Le Pen when voters rallied behind him to keep her party out of power.
(Production: Maniel Ausloos, Michaela Cabrera) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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