French presidential: in a giant meeting, Emmanuel Macron castigates "extremism"
President-candidate Emmanuel Macron called for the "general mobilization" of his supporters, during his giant meeting in Nanterre.
AP - Francois Mori
Text by: RFI Follow
3 mins
President-candidate Emmanuel Macron called this Saturday April 2, during a giant meeting at Paris La Défense Arena in Nanterre, for "
general mobilization
" against "
extremism
" and "
great stunting
".
This in the face of the strong surge in the polls by Marine Le Pen, who is campaigning on purchasing power.
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After a minimal
start to the campaign
, Emmanuel Macron gave his first major meeting just eight days before the presidential election.
It was time.
Because if he is still given the lead in the first round, the voting intentions in his favor crumble.
And the polls only place him six points ahead of Marine Le Pen in the second – 53% against 47% for the far-right candidate.
Something to worry those around him.
“
It's the fight of progress against withdrawal, the fight of patriotism and Europe against the nationalists.
April's choices are simple, basically
,” summed up Emmanuel Macron at the end of a speech lasting almost two and a half hours in front of 30,000 supporters waving French and European flags at the Paris La Défense Arena in Nanterre, the most large hall covered with Europe.
► To read also: Presidential 2022: Emmanuel Macron returns to the hard of the campaign against the far right
Having entered the campaign late, very busy with the war in Ukraine and his mandate as President-in-Office of the Council of the European Union, he wanted to dispel an excess of confidence among his supporters: "
Do not believe the polls or the commentators who would be formal, who tell you that
(defeat, editor's note)
it's impossible, unthinkable.
That the election is already decided, that everything will be fine
”.
Sketch of a republican front
In addition to mobilizing his supporters, who might be tempted to abstain, he called for "
political overcoming
", inviting "
those from social democracy to Gaullism, via ecologists who have not yet joined, to do so
”.
Like a first sketch of a "republican front
facing the extreme right.
He also highlighted two areas hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, education, because “
the social elevator is still too broken down
”, and health, an area “
where we must go .
further
”.
Emmanuel Macron went back on his promises of lower taxes and a return to full employment while defending his RSA project conditioned on hours of activity.
He again defended raising the retirement age to 65, a promise also under fire from critics.
"
Do not believe those who explain to you that they will retire at 60 or 62, (..) and that everything will be fine, it's not
", he hammered, clearly targeting Marine Le pen.
"
Good luck to those who, faced with Russia, advocate the great withdrawal and good luck to those who, faced with the return of empires and the challenges of the times, defend the 'great stunting'
", he launched against the leitmotif of the "
great replacement
" of the other far-right candidate Eric Zemmour.
(
With
AFP)
Twelve candidates are in the running for the 2022 French presidential election. © FMM graphic studio
... © FMM Graphic Studio
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France
French politics
Presidential France 2022
Emmanuel Macron