“To those seriously burned by politics, it is usually advised not to expose themselves. Since mid-April, Macron has done just the opposite”

2023-06-20 05:00:26

THE “hundred days” were a decoy. When, the day after the promulgation of the very unpopular pension reform, the Head of State announced them to the French, as a challenge to move forward, all eyes turned to Elisabeth Borne. The contract seemed clear: three months to succeed in reconnecting with the country or the door. Not to be offended, since the classic role of the Prime Minister was thus rehabilitated, fuse in times of crisis.

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However, the reality is not exactly this. Admittedly, the head of government presented her roadmap to the deputies, then she cemented her support and expressed the desire to remain in her post in a country which is gradually relaxing. However, the uncertainty in which it finds itself as the deadline approaches shows that Rue de Varenne was not the nerve center of the reconquest. The hundred days did not directly concern Elisabeth Borne. They applied to the Head of State himself, obliged to wet his shirt to keep his hands free as long as possible.

Since mid-April, Emmanuel Macron has been attempting the last chance comeback. Victim of risky behavior, he fell into the abyss of unpopularity less than a year after his re-election, surrounded by his opponents who exploit as much as they can the absence of an absolute majority in the National Assembly. It is certainly not the first time that his relationship with the French has deteriorated so much, but the political context is even more worrying than during the “yellow vests” movement: the institutional functioning was challenged with the controversy triggered by the use of Article 49.3 to push through pension reform; the extreme right is in ambush.

Reassure your base

For those seriously burned by politics, it is usually advised not to expose themselves directly and to put the pedal soft on the reforms. Emmanuel Macron did just the opposite. Since mid-April, we’ve seen him everywhere: in factories, vocational high schools, at the Choose France summit, at VivaTech, at Le Bourget, in the newspapers, chief sales representative for his own policy, ready to kick start on all the reforms that pave the way for the future.

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This overexposure constituted an undeniable risk-taking, especially at the beginning, when the casserolades organized by the left kept the anger intact on the ground. As the days went by, it ended up paying off. A relaxation has occurred. In May, the drop in the polls was reversed; in June, a rise began, which should not be over-interpreted, but not minimized either. “The French still want Emmanuel Macron, but some are grateful to him for setting the course”, summarizes Jérôme Fourquet, director of the opinion department of the FIFG. About 30% of them now support its action.

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