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Emmanuel Macron's campaign teams had promised "a few surprises" and an atmosphere worthy of the great American political "shows".
The goal ?
Restore momentum to a campaign that seems to be waning, while the gap with Marine Le Pen in voting intentions has been melting for two weeks.
The candidate president held, this Saturday, at La Défense Arena, near Paris, his first and only campaign meeting before the first round.
A speech of more than two hours, a little winded at times.
Here's what to remember.
An "American" show?
The candidate president spoke alone on stage, in the midst of his supporters.
No elected official or personality spoke before him, but several musical performances set the mood as spotlights illuminated the arena.
The announcer – fiery – at La Défense Arena was a certain Éric Dragant, who usually officiates for the matches of the Girondins de Bordeaux and the XV of France, among others.
The atmosphere was less overexcited over time, the speech dragging on.
If the room was largely full, a few seats remained empty in height.
To our reporters present on the spot, the organizers highlighted practical difficulties preventing certain registered activists from coming to Paris.
Defense of its balance sheet
Abolish the housing tax, increase purchasing power "especially for the most modest workers", renovate housing, double the number of apprentices... "It was our project and it is now our balance sheet, we 'Have done !
“, released Emmanuel Macron, after having listed various reforms carried out over the past five years.
In the event of re-election, “our 2022 project will be a legal project”, he continued.
“The real purchasing power is that of work.
»
It was our project and it is now our record.
We did it.
#MacronArena pic.twitter.com/hrf9TXy0Uy
— Emmanuel Macron with you (@withyou) April 2, 2022
Reminder of his proposals
If he is re-elected, Emmanuel Macron intends to "continue to think big".
He listed several of the proposals he had already announced, such as the recruitment of 8,500 additional magistrates or court officers.
“This summer, I want to allow workers to be able to receive a purchasing power bonus of up to 6,000 euros without charge or tax,” added the candidate president.
Another project: education.
"We will strengthen the teaching of fundamental knowledge, French, mathematics, up to the baccalaureate", promised the candidate president Macron.
“I want teachers and parents to be given the means to succeed that are more appropriate as close to the field as possible.
The system will tell us that it is impossible.
But as it is impossible, we will do it, ”he continued, before discussing the theme of health and making the caregivers applaud.
And to promise: “I will never resolve myself and I will always fight!
".
Macron "assumes to say that we will have to work more"
“There is no welfare state if there is no protective state.
I assume to tell you that you will have to work more, and first of all longer because we are living longer, ”explained the candidate Macron, recalling his intention to raise the legal age of departure to 65. retirement.
"Do not believe those who tell you to retire at 60 or 62 and everything will be fine, because it is not true," he tackled to some of his competitors.
“Work, humanism, progress, this is what makes us so proud to be French”, he developed, just before the broadcast of a clip showing the paths of French people with very varied professions.
The far right targeted
Without citing some of his opponents, Emmanuel Macron denounced those classified on the far right.
“Their programs would ruin small traders, (…) would bring pensions to bankruptcy”, he thundered, attacking those who “let candidates call themselves patriots while having their project and their gone abroad”.
He probably refers to Marine Le Pen, whose campaign is financed by a loan taken out with a Hungarian bank.
“We are used to seeing certain political leaders say anything about the Covid, hold conspiratorial untruths about vaccines”, he also thundered.
Call for "general mobilization"
Emmanuel Macron also defended his vision of Europe and the world.
“We will not let go of our fight for a European ideal”, he chanted, praising in particular the orders for vaccines against Covid-19 placed by the European Commission.
"Good luck to those who - against Russia - advocate withdrawal or those who - in the face of the challenges of the times - defend the great stunting", he added, aiming at his most right-wing opponents.
Read also"Le Pen is a much better candidate than in 2017": concern wins over LREM activists
Wanting to form the largest possible majority, Emmanuel Macron finally urged "all those from social democracy to Gaullism, including environmentalists, who have not yet joined us to do so".
And to conclude, with reference to the voting intentions: “Do not believe the commentators and the polls who would tell you
everything is already settled
.
Look at us five years ago, look at Brexit!
I don't want arrogance or defeatism, but I want general mobilization!
".