While the war in Ukraine brings to life on the European continent a sequence that will undoubtedly be written in the history books, a major political meeting is preparing in France: in 38 days the first round of the election will be held French presidential election of 2022. President Emmanuel Macron, who intends to reassure the French in the face of the anxieties inherent in the "brutal return of the tragic in History", will (also) finally formalize, Thursday March 3, his candidacy for a second term.
But the other contenders for the Élysée are increasingly worried that international issues will eclipse other priority issues such as purchasing power, health and safety.
And want to discuss as soon as possible with him to demolish his balance sheet.
"President until the last quarter of an hour"
Mobilized by the war in Ukraine - with a new interview, Thursday, with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, then the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky - the head of state waited for the last moment to formalize his candidacy, which the candidates must formalize with the Constitutional Council before Friday 6 p.m.
Since the Agricultural Show, the environmental candidate, Yannick Jadot, was one of the first to react: "There was no ambiguity about his candidacy. Emmanuel Macron has been campaigning for a long time, that he spends electorally".
Emmanuel Macron "will be president until the last quarter of an hour" because "the French need a president for the next five weeks as for the next five years", affirmed in the morning on Franceinfo the spokesman of the government, Gabriel Attal, the day after a speech by the Head of State on Ukraine.
A very presidential format that allows him to stay above the fray.
Never has an international crisis had such an impact on a presidential campaign under the Fifth Republic.
And after the Yellow Vests crises, followed by the Covid-19 pandemic, the youngest president France has known since 1958 positions himself as a captain in stormy weather: "I have and will only have one compass: to protect you".
Resilience plan
The Prime Minister precisely clarified on TF1 the contours of the resilience plan announced by Emmanuel Macron to mitigate the economic and social consequences - in particular a surge in fuel prices - of the war in Ukraine and the severe sanctions on Russia.
According to Jean Castex, particular attention will be paid to the sectors of "aeronautical construction, agriculture, air transport, space, the automotive industry"
Since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops eight days ago, the president-candidate has gained several points in the voting intentions, the polls giving him 27-28%, or around ten points. ahead of her far-right rival, Marine Le Pen (RN), who is widening the gap with Valérie Pécresse (LR) and Éric Zemmour (Reconquest!).
But if the Head of State assured that the campaign would allow an "important democratic debate" which "will not prevent us from meeting on the essentials", his rivals are increasingly worried about seeing the results of the years Macron and the main concerns of the French - purchasing power, health and safety - relegated to the background.
"We don't have a candidate in front. We can't attack our balance sheet. We can't propose a counter-project. We don't have an opponent today. It's a situation that is totally unprecedented. in the Fifth Republic", protested the right-wing candidate Valérie Pécresse, who is struggling to find her place between her two far-right rivals.
Same observation from Marine Le Pen: "He (Macron) will have to take his other hat as a presidential candidate because he owes a record to the French".
The Russian aggression has also brought to light the fault lines within the opponents of the head of state.
The war of the extreme right
Last example to date, the president of the RN Jordan Bardella and the MEP LR Geoffroy Didier both criticized the refusal of the candidate of Reconquest!
to welcome Ukrainian refugees in France, accusing him of an "ideological" attitude or an "inhuman" refusal.
"The difference with Éric Zemmour is that when a European people is under the bombs, I feel solidarity and Marine Le Pen also feels solidarity", explained on RTL the MEP RN.
New expected episode of the fratricidal war within the far right, Marine Le Pen's niece, Marion Maréchal, is preparing to join Éric Zemmour and should appear alongside him on Sunday at the Toulon meeting.
"It's a real turning point, because his imminent support will symbolize and announce the success of the union of the rights after forty years of cordon sanitaire", claimed a close friend of Éric Zemmour.
Regarding sponsorships, 11 candidates have already obtained the necessary 500 signatures from elected officials.
And a new list will be published at 5 p.m. by the Constitutional Council.
With AFP
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