Macron Delays Re-election Bid... "Will Make a Difficult Decision Soon"

French President Emmanuel Macron [Photo by AP]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] French President Emmanuel Macron has stated that he has not yet decided whether to run in next year's presidential election.

On the 3rd (local time), President Macron made this remark to the press during his visit to Martel in the Lot department of southwestern France, AFP reported.

When asked by reporters if he planned to run in the next presidential election, he replied, "It is too early to answer now," adding, "I will carry out the duties assigned to me until the end."

In France, where the presidential election is scheduled for April next year, candidates typically announce their candidacy a year in advance, but with less than a year remaining, President Macron has yet to make a decision.

Earlier, in an interview with reporters last December, he mentioned that he might have to make a difficult decision that would make running in the next presidential election impossible.

President Macron also said, "I will have to make several choices, some of which will be difficult decisions," adding, "Those decisions are necessary to make my final term meaningful."

He continued, "I will not be able to spend this summer leisurely."

Previously, in 2018, he faced public backlash after announcing a significant increase in fuel taxes, which sparked the so-called 'Yellow Vest' protests that escalated into nationwide large-scale demonstrations.

Additionally, at the end of 2019, his push to reform the pension system triggered nationwide strikes as public opposition peaked. The pension reform plan proposed by the Macron government aimed to replace the existing 42 different retirement pension schemes based on occupation and profession with a single national pension system.

President Macron acknowledged the difficulty in continuing the pension reform, stating, "At present, I do not think the reforms initially planned can be revived."

He added that the reforms he pursued were "very ambitious and highly complex, which caused anxiety," and that pushing forward with the reforms immediately would be ignoring many existing concerns.

Earlier in March, Xavier Bertrand, chairman of the Hauts-de-France regional council from the right-wing camp, declared his candidacy. He ranks third in the next presidential candidate support ratings, following far-right Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Rally, and President Macron.

However, according to a poll released last month, in a runoff election between Macron and Le Pen, the support gap remains at 8%, but if Bertrand faces Le Pen, the gap widens to 20%, indicating that Bertrand holds an overwhelming advantage.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.