Former President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing died Wednesday evening at the age of 94.

Elected in 1974, he became the youngest President of the Republic at 48.

Since then, this record of precocity has been broken by Emmanuel Macron.

Even if the current head of state does not claim any Giscardian lineage, the two men share many points in common.

ANALYSIS

Emmanuel Macron paid tribute Thursday evening to the former President of the Republic Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, who died Wednesday as a result of the Covid-19.

Great reformer, "VGE", as he was nicknamed, did not hesitate to move the lines, on the right to abortion, divorce by mutual consent, lowering of the majority to 18 years or even reunification family for migrants.

Emmanuel Macron has often been compared to Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, elected in 1974 at the age of 48.

Because if the current president likes to follow in the footsteps of General de Gaulle, he undoubtedly has more to do with the one from whom he has stolen the title of youngest head of state.

>> Find Europe Soir with Julian Bugier in replay and podcast here

Both elected without a big party

Enarques, ministers of the economy, liberals, convinced Europeans, the two men share many similarities.

Both entered the Elysée without a large party installed: Valéry Giscard d'Estaing with The Independent Republicans, Emmanuel Macron with En Marche.

The two presidents also share centrism, even VGE came from the right, when Emmanuel Macron was rather marked on the left.

The former president wanted to bring together "two French out of three", the current one theorized him the "and at the same time, and of right and of left".

>> READ ALSO

- Macron greets Giscard d'Estaing, whose "seven-year term transformed France"

The same desire to appear resolutely modern

They also have in common the same desire to appear resolutely modern, while appreciating the monarchical side of the Fifth Republic.

But there is a major difference between the two men: Valéry Giscard d'Estaing has held almost all the possible mandates, unlike Emmanuel Macron who does not claim any Giscardian lineage.

The current head of state also wants to avoid sharing one thing with his distant predecessor: Valéry Giscard d'Estaing was fired by the French after a term of office, defeated in the next election by François Mitterrand.

>> READ ALSO

- Jean-Pierre Raffarin: "Giscard was one of those who built political projects"