Emmanuel Macron on the lands of the One-Whose-We-Must-Not-Pronounce-the-Name.
Xavier Bertrand in this case, declared candidate for the presidency of the Republic, hope of a part of the right and president of the Hauts-de-France region.
This is where the head of state is making the third stage of his tour of France on Thursday, three days before the first round of regional elections.
A ballot to which Xavier Bertrand conditioned his final entry into the presidential race.
If he wins, he goes;
if he loses, he stops political life.
In view of the surveys, the risk is limited.
For Emmanuel Macron, the whole stake in Hauts-de-France is to condition a possible victory of Xavier Bertrand to the support of the presidential majority in the second round. Officially, there is of course no question of these electoral considerations. Moreover, Wednesday noon, the Elysee still did not know if Emmanuel Macron would cross paths with Xavier Bertrand in Poix, in Château-Thierry or in Villers-Cotterêts, the three stages of a trip officially devoted to education and to the French language.
In the first city, that of his grandmother, Emmanuel Macron wants to meet the parents of the students.
Always to "take the pulse of the country" after the health crisis.
See how parents experienced confinement and home education.
It is also about collecting the benefit of its crisis management.
"We are one of the European countries which kept its schools open the most during the crisis, which is what makes us proud," said one at the Élysée.
In the second city, Emmanuel Macron will celebrate Jean de La Fontaine on the occasion of his 400 years.
Accompanied by actor Fabrice Luchini, he wants to celebrate reading “the basis of citizenship and emancipation.
A lever in the fight against exclusion too ”.
In the hometown of the author of the fables, the President of the Republic will discuss with students.
Last stop, Villers-Cotterêts, where Emmanuel Macron will visit the site of the international city of the French language. City also held by the RN, particularly strong in this region. But once again, without any political ulterior motive, we swear at the Elysee. "The president wants to send a message to all the inhabitants, whether they have voted RN or not," we are assured.
