Emmanuel Macron vowed to “break taboos” and deregulate the economy at a press conference on Tuesday.
The French president presented his vision for a stronger and fairer state in a televised news conference that stretched into the deep Paris night on Tuesday. He told reporters:
We will put an end to useless norms. My goal is a France of good sense rather than a France of hassles.
The president noted that he had defeated Marine Le Pen, a perennial presidential candidate, in 2022 and 2017. He emphasised that he would “do everything to stop her again”. Macron called the programme of her National Rally party inconsistent and guaranteed to weaken France. He stated:
Until the last 15 minutes of my presidency, I will fight.
In France, already troubled by the pro-market changes implemented in Mr. Macron’s first term, which brought unemployment to its lowest level in years, his promise to resume deregulation is certain to meet resistance from many French people committed to a high degree of state-funded social protection. Macron said:
We have had too many taboos.
One of the strongest [taboos] in France is linked to any suggestion that too many allowances could lead to a decline in competitiveness.
Macron said his plans were for “France to stay France”. He focused on the struggle of low- and middle-income voters for a decent life and pledged to support business by cutting red tape and sought to move forward after last year’s controversial pension changes and immigration legislation.
Mr. Macron’s decision to address the nation a week after he appointed a new government led by the youngest prime minister in the history of the Fifth Republic was a response to the sense of drift that has characterised his second term as president. He called the United States a “democracy in crisis,” which he said reinforces the need for Europe to unite and become capable of defending itself.
Macron said he would travel to Ukraine next month to finalise a bilateral agreement on security guarantees and Paris would deliver more advanced weapons in the coming weeks.
The trip comes at a time when political divisions in the US and EU are delaying two major aid packages to Ukraine.
