Macron "I Want to Run for Re-election... Will Announce When Everything Becomes Clear"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seulgi Na Cho] French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed his intention to seek re-election ahead of the presidential election scheduled for April. However, he also added that he would make an official announcement only when he is certain. Locally, there is a growing assessment that President Macron will likely delay the official declaration as much as possible in order to maintain the image of 'President' rather than 'presidential candidate' for election strategy purposes.

In an interview with Le Parisien on the 4th (local time), when asked about running for president, President Macron said, "I want to run for re-election," but added, "I will announce (my decision) when my health permits and my own thoughts and the political situation become clear." He mentioned, "Deep in my heart, the decision is solidifying," and "I need to be confident that I can go as far as I want." In France's five-year single-term system, an incumbent president who wishes to run for re-election must make an official declaration.

The French presidential election will be held on April 10. If no candidate wins a majority in the first round, a runoff between the top two candidates will be held on April 24. Among the leading presidential candidates, President Macron, who has not yet made an official announcement, is currently leading in various opinion polls.

According to a recent poll conducted by the Paris Institute of Political Studies in collaboration with the Jean Jaur?s Foundation and the daily newspaper Le Monde, 24% of respondents said they would vote for President Macron in the first round, the highest percentage. Following him is Val?rie P?cresse, governor of ?le-de-France supported by the Republicans, who is trailing Macron with 17%. The far-right candidates Marine Le Pen of the National Rally (RN) and ?ric Zemmour of Reconqu?te tied for third place with 14.5% each.

Although he has not declared his candidacy, President Macron's recent actions clearly indicate a move toward re-election. Last month, a two-hour presidential interview reflecting on the past five years and outlining future plans was broadcast during prime time on a weekday, drawing criticism as a "de facto campaign" and "competition on a tilted playing field."

Locally, it is expected that President Macron will maintain his image as the incumbent president and then fully launch his presidential campaign at the last moment. Euronews reported, "President Macron also started his campaign a few months before the 2017 election and was elected president."

Another reason why President Macron cannot emphasize his role as a 'presidential candidate' more than as 'president' is that France has taken over the presidency of the European Union (EU) from this month. In his New Year's Eve speech, President Macron stated, "2022 must be a turning point for Europe," outlining the direction the EU should take. However, within France, political controversy arose over President Macron's decision to raise the EU flag instead of the tricolor on the Arc de Triomphe to celebrate the start of France's EU presidency. Candidate Le Pen criticized this as a "provocation that insults veterans who fought for France."

Meanwhile, in the interview, President Macron expressed his determination to expand COVID-19 vaccinations, saying, "I want to keep bothering those citizens who have not been vaccinated until the end." Currently, the French government is promoting a vaccine pass. Local media evaluated that such remarks by the president and the government's actions will further politicize the debate surrounding vaccinations ahead of the presidential election. On the day of the interview, France recorded over 270,000 new daily COVID-19 cases.

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