Emmanuel Macron has stated that he will be president as much as he has to be and a candidate as often as he can.

On Thursday he can.

He took more than three hours to present his program for the next five years.

In March 2017, the surprise candidate chose the Gabriel Pavilion very close to the Elysée, now he was looking for a place that is not reminiscent of the splendor and pomp of the Presidential Palace.

In the "Docks of Paris", the former warehouses on the outskirts in the north of the capital, he appeared before the press.

How is France positioned in the face of this turning point, "the return of war"?

"More than ever we have to take our destiny as a nation into our own hands," he said right at the start.

Michael Wiegel

Political correspondent based in Paris.

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The war at the gates of Europe determines Macron's plans.

Unlike Chancellor Olaf Scholz in his speech about the turn of the century, the candidate is not only interested in better financial resources for the armed forces.

He agrees with the voters that a new spirit of defense is necessary.

The "service to the nation" that school leavers do voluntarily is to be expanded.

France's professional army, which has proven itself for almost a quarter of a century, must be strengthened by a new "pact" with the citizens.

Macron is aiming to double the number of reservists.

But more reservists are also to be recruited in the civil sector, in civil protection, police and fire brigade.

It is important that in the coming years France is able to mobilize citizens as quickly as possible in the event of a crisis.

Macron is sticking to the “entire army” model

Macron also used the performance to take stock.

Already in 2017 he ended the cuts in the defense budget.

Since then, defense spending has increased steadily.

The defense budget has been increased from 32 billion euros to 40.9 billion euros in 2020.

France has thus achieved its goal formulated for NATO of spending two percent of gross domestic product on defense.

In 2025, the defense budget is said to have increased to 50 billion euros.

Macron emphasized that the risk situation had changed.

The armed forces would have to be prepared for conflicts in space and cyber attacks.

Hybrid conflicts also challenged traditional strategies.

But at the same time, with the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the scenario of a high-intensity war has returned.

"Therefore, I will ask the chief of staff to review the needs of the armed forces," he said.

The aim is for France to stick to the model of a "complete army" which, unlike the Bundeswehr, does not forego certain operational capacities.

As a signal for the new defensiveness, Macron also wants to strengthen the network of clubs and associations.

National cohesion is more important than ever.

He sees the EU as an important ally in securing food supplies.

The EU's "Farm to Fork" concept, which envisages a 13 percent reduction in agricultural production, needs to be revised.

In view of the war, famine threatened in the neighborhood of the EU.

Macron promised to strengthen the "independence" of French farmers.

This includes promoting short supply chains and organic farming methods.

The state must help more with the question of succession.

He wanted to prevent a large number of farms from dying out because no young farmers wanted to settle there.

Supply independence is also the candidate's credo when it comes to electricity and energy.

He doesn't want to hear any more about the slow nuclear phase-out.

As if he were addressing the traffic light coalition, Macron emphasized that the climate goals and political goals can only be achieved with a mix of nuclear power and renewable energies.

Macron confirmed that six nuclear reactors are to be built, and that solar and wind energy should be promoted more.

He is striving to establish independent European value chains for solar and wind energy in Europe.

"We can become the first European nation to get out of gas and oil dependency," he said.

"74 out of 100 election promises fulfilled"

"We have to work longer," said Macron.

He is aiming for full employment and a progressive increase in the retirement age from 62 to 65.

He has a new method in mind for a second term.

"The dialogue with the citizens should be permanent," he said.

His election slogan "with you" ("avec vous") is not just a saying.

It should last beyond the election.

According to his own account, of the 100 election promises he made in 2017, he fulfilled 74 completely or almost completely.

These include reforms such as unemployment insurance for all employees, half class sizes for all first and second graders in deprived areas and the introduction of a real estate wealth tax instead of a wealth tax.

As announced, 10,000 new posts for police officers were also created.

Almost all coal-fired power plants were shut down, except for one plant in Cordemais.

The unemployment rate was reduced to 7.3 percent and more than 1.15 million new jobs were created.

The 26 unfulfilled promises include the saving of 120,000 civil servant jobs.

Macron had already refrained from this goal after the "yellow vest" crisis.

Now he finally gave the red line in the state a rejection.

"There are projects that suggest withdrawal and a form of nostalgia for the French," he said.

"I want to answer the fears with clear-sighted ambition."