Emmanuel Macron presented his project at a press conference this Thursday near Paris.
The candidate notably promised 15 billion per year in tax cuts, half benefiting households, half businesses.
The president also dismissed criticism accusing him of not wanting to face his opponents during this campaign.
Emmanuel Macron descends cautiously into the arena.
Accused of "stepping over" the presidential election, the president-candidate entered the campaign a little more this Thursday afternoon, revealing the main lines of his project during a major press conference organized at the Docks de Paris in Aubervilliers (Seine-Saint-Denis).
Three weeks before the first round, the head of state answered questions from journalists at length about his program, failing to agree to debate with his opponents.
"It takes material, I have to commit myself so that the mandate is clear"
To warm up, Emmanuel Macron begins with a self-satisfecit on his balance sheet, evoking the reductions in unemployment and taxes during his five-year term.
The President of the Republic then unfolds his proposals, through three main axes: "to make France a more independent nation in a stronger Europe", by drawing the consequences of the war in Ukraine, to continue "the project of emancipation" and strengthen "the republican pact".
He also mentions school and health as “two major projects” for a possible second term.
He warns: “I say it right away, I will try to be as complete as possible, but I will not be exhaustive”.
His monologue, however, seems to stretch the minutes, to the chagrin of the more than 300 journalists present in the room.
“I will take six examples…”, he says after already more than a good hour of speech.
The journalists breathe, smile at him: “I will then answer your questions, but it is a presidential debate.
It takes material, I have to commit myself so that the mandate is clear”.
The president-candidate very comfortable with questions
The president then answers the many questions from the room.
It specifies the conditions of its pension reform at age 65 and its “citizen convention” on the end of life.
He details the cost of his program estimated at 50 billion euros per year until 2027. He promises tax cuts of up to 15 billion and "full employment" within five years.
He brushes aside criticism of the closure of Fessenheim despite his desire to relaunch nuclear power.
Very comfortable, speaking almost without notes, the head of state also has fun with criticism.
A project more to the right than in 2017?
“There are reforms that you could call left-wing and right-wing ones.
I don't care, royally, totally, presidentially.
A project “copied” from that of Valérie Pécresse as already accused by Les Républicains?
“If they don't know how to differentiate themselves from the project I'm carrying out, what have they been doing in this mess?
»
The exercise is long, very long, but Emmanuel Macron enjoys it.
It will also be useful for him to respond to those who accuse him of not wanting to face the other candidates during a television program before the first round.
"Neither our Constitution nor our customs say that this would be the rule or the right way to confront democratic ideas," he sweeps away.
From General de Gaulle, to François Mitterrand, to President Chirac, none of my predecessors submitted to a debate.
Let's be serious, the democratic debate is that of a campaign.
It's to do this press conference, where you can question me freely.
Why should things change for me?
»
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