Presidential election in France: the candidates facing the Covid

Audio 02:57

Emmanuel Macron during his New Year's greetings 2022. REUTERS - CHRISTIAN HARTMANN

By: Valérie Gas Follow

2 min

The new outbreak of the Covid epidemic is putting the virus back at the heart of political news in France.

Less than four months before the presidential election, Emmanuel Macron was forced to announce additional restrictive measures taking the risk of arousing discontent and attacks.

Will the Covid become an issue in the campaign?

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What is certain is that the political re-entry in January will be placed under the sign of the Covid and that all the presidential candidates will have to make choices, in particular on whether or not to require the vaccination pass in their meetings. public. It will become a campaign argument. Some have already positioned themselves on the side of caution. Seeing the wave amplify, Valérie Pécresse barely appointed by Les Républicains at the beginning of December decided to cancel the big meeting planned to launch her campaign. Others display their mistrust of " 

punitive measures

 ”And even accuse the government of instrumentalizing the epidemic like Jean-Luc Mélenchon, Marine Le Pen or Eric Zemmour who organized at all costs in mid-December his first large gathering in the presence of some 10,000 people.

Two choices, two political postures, responsibility against protest, which target different electorates.

Macron in a strong position?

Faced with his opponents, does the Covid place Emmanuel Macron in a position of strength? Yes ... and no ... Yes, because for the moment, Emmanuel Macron has an advantage because in times of crisis, the Head of State embodies protection. It is from him that the French expect the decisions that will make it possible to pass the test. The huge audiences of his solemn addresses were a very good indicator of this. Until now, moreover and despite the controversies, particularly on the issue of masks, surveys indicate that the French believe that Emmanuel Macron has not failed in the management of the crisis and that his opponents would not have done better. . He took risks on confinements in particular. It takes it again this time with the announced measures which have provoked criticism.Some say it is too much, that individual freedoms are threatened, others say that it is not enough, that health is sacrificed to preserve the economy.

What Covid effect on the presidential election?

And so suddenly ... No, Emmanuel Macron is not sure to take advantage of it because the epidemic will last and that a badly perceived decision, at the wrong time, can change the situation in the middle of an electoral campaign, lead its results and prevent it from highlighting its favorite themes on

Europe

or the economy.

Moreover, in the entourage of the president, it has always been considered that the Covid was a determining variable, in particular in deciding the moment of the entry into the campaign of Emmanuel Macron.

It is therefore difficult to predict the Covid effect on the presidential election.

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  • Presidential France 2022

  • Emmanuel Macron

  • Valerie Pécresse

  • Eric Zemmour

  • Marine Le Pen

  • Coronavirus