The polls won’t lie. This Sunday, at the end of the second round, Emmanuel Macron was re-elected at the head of the French Republic with 58.55% voices. Marine Le Pen, she obtained 41.45%, according to Ipsos-Sopra Steria estimates for Le Parisien, France Télévisions and Radio France. “Above all, thank you”, addresses Emmanuel Macron to the French, as well as to his supporters who came to support him at the Champ-de-Mars. “It is by knocking at the heart that truth comes. Thank you I know what I owe you. I want to thank all the French people, ”he continues in front of the crowd of blue-white-red flags.
“This vote obliges me”
“After five years, this day of April 24, 2022, a majority of us have chosen to trust me to lead France for the next five years”, continues the re-elected president. “I am no longer the candidate of one camp, but the president of all. But I know that for many patriots, anger and disagreement must find an answer, it will be my responsibility to respond effectively to the anger that has been expressed. Before going there with his confidence: “This vote obliges me for the years to come. »
“I know that for many of our compatriots, who today chose the far right, the anger and disagreements that led them to vote for this project must also find an answer,” he explains. This will be my responsibility and that of those around me”.
Marseillaise and walkabout
“The war in Ukraine is there to remind us that we are going through tragic times when France must speak out, show the clarity of its choices, and build its strength in all areas. And we will,” he says again. Emmanuel Macron spoke to his supporters and members of his government, his majority and his campaign team, including Prime Minister Jean Castex, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister of Justice Eric Dupond- Moretti, or his ally the president of the MoDem François Bayrou.
A Marseillaise followed her speech, sung by the Egyptian mezzo-soprano, member of the Academy of the National Opera of Paris, Farrah El Dibany. The re-elected president then enjoyed a walkabout, alongside his wife.
If the poster was the same as in 2017, the gap is much smaller this time between the two finalists. Five years ago, the LREM candidate obtained 66.10% of the vote, against 33.90% for his competitor RN. Abstention, already high in the previous election (25.44%), increased further reaching 28.2%. In the first round, it had already broken a record since 2002, reaching 26.3%.
Soon a new government
To win, Emmanuel Macron had tried to convince some of the voters on the left and in particular those of Jean-Luc Mélenchon – who came third with 22% – during the interval between the two rounds, by offering a green tint to his program. He even assured that he was ready to “move” on his reform, opening the door to a postponement of the starting age to 64, rather than the 65 years advanced so far.
Despite this new presidential victory, nothing is yet certain for Emmanuel Macron’s next five-year term. The legislative elections of June 12 and 19 could change everything. If the opposition wins the majority of the National Assembly, the country will enter into cohabitation. This is the scenario that Jean-Luc Mélenchon is already aiming for, who has asked the French to “elect him Prime Minister”.
But, for the time being, the president should appoint a new Prime Minister, Jean Castex having affirmed that he would resign in the coming days, in accordance with tradition, in order to give “new impetus” to the country.