Current:Home > ScamsFrench President Macron will hold a prime-time news conference in a bid to revitalize his presidency-LoTradeCoin
French President Macron will hold a prime-time news conference in a bid to revitalize his presidency
View Date:2024-12-23 18:34:48
PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron will hold his first prime-time news conference on Tuesday to announce his top priorities for the year as he seeks to revitalize his presidency, vowing to focus on “results” despite not having a majority in parliament.
More than three years before the end of his term, Macron is trying to bring in fresh faces and ideas after appointing a new centrist government last week led by France’s youngest-ever prime minister.
On Tuesday evening, Macron is expected to detail the key goals assigned to new, popular Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, 34, and Cabinet members to bolster his legacy amid growing political pressure from the far right. The Constitution doesn’t allow Macron to run for a third consecutive term in 2027.
Macron said in his New Year’s Eve address that he wants 2024 to be a year of “effective results” and “French pride” marked by the Paris Olympics this summer.
Recent opinion polls have shown that top concerns among the French include rising prices, struggling health and education systems, and security issues.
Macron’s move to refresh the government comes after two major laws he had promised were adopted last year. One pushed the retirement age from 62 to 64. The other, on immigration, is intended to strengthen France’s ability to deport foreigners who are considered undesirable.
The contentious immigration bill has been criticized by some in opposition as too right-leaning, and Macron himself had to argue it was not a victory for the far-right.
His government still faces a major challenge: With no majority in parliament, it can only pass laws by bargaining with opposition lawmakers and using special constitutional powers.
Amid other promises, Macron has vowed to bring France back to full employment by the end of his term. The proportion of jobless people fell since he arrived in office in 2017 from over 10% to about 7% last year, but it has started to rise again.
EU elections in June are another major challenge for the French president, who is a staunch supporter of the European Union.
“The upcoming European elections are key to giving EU institutions the tools, dynamics, and legitimacy to address challenges ahead,” political experts Léonie Allard and Maris Jourdain wrote in an analysis for the Atlantic Council think tank.
“A success in European elections is important for Macron at home, too. In 2019, elections in France brought the extreme right-wing National Rally into the European Parliament. It would be a major domestic setback for Macron to govern France with his party poorly represented in the Parliament,” they said.
Macron has held few wide-ranging news conferences at the Elysee Palace — and none in the evening, a timing meant to reach the broadest audience possible. Tuesday’s event will be broadcast live on several national television channels.
The first days of the new government have been marred by controversies over newly named ministers.
The appointment as culture minister of Rachida Dati, an outspoken figure from The Republicans conservative party, was highly criticized. Dati had been handed preliminary corruption-related charges in 2021 by investigative magistrates over consulting fees she received from the Renault-Nissan automobile manufacturers’ alliance.
Under French law, preliminary charges mean magistrates have strong reason to suspect wrongdoing but allow time for further investigation before deciding whether to send a case to trial.
Macron’s office argued she has the right to the presumption of innocence.
Another controversy broke out when the new education minister, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, said she preferred to send her children to a private Catholic school in Paris, pointing to the issue of public school teachers who, she said, go on leave without being replaced.
The next day, she apologized for having offended some teachers.
The comments prompted an immediate debate about French elites’ privileges compared to most ordinary people, whose children attend public schools that struggle with a lack of human and financial resources.
veryGood! (94535)
Related
- FC Cincinnati player Marco Angulo dies at 22 after injuries from October crash
- Yankees bound for worst season this century. How low will they go?
- Julie Bowen Weighs In on Sofía Vergara's Single Life After Joe Manganiello Breakup
- Kansas newspaper releases affidavits police used to justify raids
- Jason Kelce Offers Up NSFW Explanation for Why Men Have Beards
- Tony Stewart driver killed in interstate wreck; NASCAR legend cites 'road rage'
- 'Just the beginning': How push for gun reform has spread across Tennessee ahead of special session
- Stock market today: Asian stocks mixed as traders await Fed conference for interest rate update
- FC Cincinnati player Marco Angulo dies at 22 after injuries from October crash
- Shirtless Chris Hemsworth Shows How He's Sweating Off the Birthday Cake
Ranking
- Wisconsin authorities believe kayaker staged his disappearance and fled to Europe
- The Bidens will travel to Maui to meet with wildfire survivors and first responders
- Probiotics fuel us but what fuels probiotics? Prebiotics.
- These 5 things can make or break your ability to build wealth
- NATO’s Rutte calls for more Western support for Ukraine, warns of Russian alliances
- Ex-wife charged with murder in ambush-style killing of Microsoft executive Jared Bridegan, may face death penalty
- Rainfall from Hilary almost met the yearly average for some areas of California
- Here's how wildfire burn scars could intensify flooding as Tropical Storm Hilary hits California
Recommendation
-
Messi breaks silence on Inter Miami's playoff exit. What's next for his time in the US?
-
Weakened Hilary still posing serious threat to Southern California and Southwest
-
Alabama can enforce ban on puberty blockers and hormones for transgender children, court says
-
Trump plans to skip first 2024 Republican primary debate
-
After years of unrest, Commanders have reinvented their culture and shattered expectations
-
Miley Cyrus Is Giving Fans the Best of Both Worlds With Hannah Montana Shout-Out
-
Hiding beneath normality, daily life in Kyiv conceals the burdens of war
-
Texas court offers rehabilitation program to help military veterans who broke the law