The Macron Administration Begins

On May 7, 2017, Emmanuel Macron won the French presidential race. He garnered a total of almost 21 million votes while his opponent, Marine Le Pen, only got around 11 million. Emmanuel Macron won by a decisive margin, and this earned him the top position in the French government.

Emmanuel Macron assumed office on May 14, 2017. Many people believe that the 39-year-old president, who is the youngest president in the history of France, will face a political journey that is filled with high expectations, challenges, and triumphs. The citizens of France, as well as those from other nations, have mixed feelings about having a young mind hold the top rank in one of the most influential nations in the European Union. Nevertheless, analysts foresee financial growth and economic development for France under the Macron administration.

President Macron served as a government employee and an investment banker during his early years. His experience in the field of finance influenced his platforms during his campaign. His political agenda includes a pro-business and pro-growth approach in which he plans to cut France’s national spending, reduce corporate taxes, and launch big investments with Germany for the benefit of the entire European Union.

Despite the positive predictions on the economy of France under the leadership of President Macron, political experts consider President Macron’s lack of leadership experience in politics a major hurdle especially since his career in politics just started in 2012 when he was appointed as the deputy secretary-general of the Élysée under the Hollande government. After that, he was appointed as the Minister of Economy and Finance in 2014. Another setback is that President Macron only has the support of one political party called “En Marche” which he founded in 2016. He does not have the support of the established political parties in France.

Some people think that Macron’s victory is not reflective of the French’s true choice of who they want to become president because of the very low turnout of voters during the May 2017 presidential election. Others say voters just chose him over Marine Le Pen because they fear that Le Pen would further her plans of making France leave the European Union. Macron’s supporters, however, negate all these beliefs. They say President Macron is a breath of fresh air. They believe he is a leader who will make France prosperous and stable.