presidency of Emmanuel Macron

presidency of Emmanuel Macron
Name	Emmanuel Macron
Office	President of France
Term start	14 May 2017
Predecessor	François Hollande
Party	La République En Marche!

Contents

presidency of Emmanuel Macron Emmanuel Macron's tenure as President of the French Fifth Republic began after the 2017 French presidential election and has encompassed wide-ranging changes to domestic policy, economic reform, and international affairs. Macron's administration interacted with institutions such as the National Assembly (France), the Senate (France), the European Commission, and NATO allies, while facing movements including the Yellow vests movement and challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine (2022).

Background and 2017 election

Macron, a former official at the Ministry of Economy (France) and an alumnus of the École nationale d'administration and Sciences Po, founded La République En Marche! and contested the 2017 presidential race against candidates like Marine Le Pen of the National Rally (France), François Fillon of The Republicans (France), and Jean-Luc Mélenchon of La France Insoumise. He served as Minister of the Economy, Industry and Digital Affairs (France) under Manuel Valls and Bernard Cazeneuve before resigning to launch his campaign, culminating in a runoff victory over Le Pen and subsequent appointments including Prime Ministers Édouard Philippe and later Jean Castex.

Macron pursued reforms impacting institutions including the Conseil constitutionnel, the Conseil d'État, and the Court of Audit (France), and implemented measures through ordinances and legislation debated in the Assemblée nationale and the Senate (France). Reforms to the French tax system and changes affecting public sector bodies prompted responses from trade unions such as the CGT, CFDT, and FO (France), while civil society groups like Attac and organizations including Medef engaged in consultations. Key domestic initiatives linked to ministers such as Bruno Le Maire, Gérald Darmanin, and Élisabeth Borne targeted public spending, decentralization tied to the Corsican Assembly and the Overseas territories of France, and institutional modernization referenced by commentators in outlets like Le Monde and Le Figaro.

Macron emphasized labor-market reforms influenced by models from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and proposals debated in the Conseil économique, social et environnemental. Legislation including the El Khomri law predecessors and Macron's own labor reforms restructured collective bargaining and hiring rules, affecting employers and associations such as MEDEF and CGPME. Fiscal policy under ministers like Bruno Le Maire intersected with European fiscal rules overseen by the European Central Bank and the European Commission, while economic indicators reported by INSEE and commentary from institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and World Bank framed debates on unemployment, competitiveness, and public deficit.

Macron's presidency navigated social issues involving protests, strikes, and movements including the Yellow vests movement, student demonstrations at universities like Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, and sectoral strikes by transportation workers coordinated with unions such as SUD-Rail and Unsa. Policies on immigration and asylum engaged agencies including the Office français de protection des réfugiés et apatrides and sparked debate with parties such as Rassemblement National and Les Républicains (LR). Public health crises including the COVID-19 pandemic required coordination with the Ministry of Solidarity and Health (France), hospitals like Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris, and regulatory bodies such as Haute Autorité de Santé.

Macron positioned France as an active actor in the European Union, engaging with figures like Angela Merkel, Olaf Scholz, Ursula von der Leyen, and institutions including the European Council and the European Parliament. He advocated for initiatives on EU defense cooperation linked to the Permanent Structured Cooperation framework and supported proposals involving the Schengen Area and the Eurogroup. Macron's foreign policy addressed crises involving Libya, the Sahel conflict involving Operation Barkhane, diplomatic relations with Turkey, strategic dialogue with the United States under presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden, and responses to the Russian invasion of Ukraine (2022) including coordination with NATO and sanctions instruments of the European Union.

Facing threats from terrorist attacks tied to extremist networks, Macron reinforced counterterrorism measures coordinated with agencies such as the Direction générale de la sécurité intérieure and the Ministry of the Armed Forces (France), deploying forces including the Sentinelle (operation) and traditional units from the French Army. Defense policy involved procurement decisions with industry actors like Dassault Aviation and cooperation in operations such as Operation Barkhane and partnerships with states including Mali and Chad. Domestic security legislation debated in the Assemblée nationale intersected with civil liberties concerns raised by organizations such as La Quadrature du Net and Human Rights Watch.

Macron secured a second term in the 2022 French presidential election against challengers including Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon, followed by parliamentary contests involving NUPES and shifts in the National Assembly (France) balance. His second mandate confronted ongoing issues such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine (2022), energy policy shaped by developments at EDF (Électricité de France) and debates over nuclear reactors like Flamanville Nuclear Power Plant, and social tensions over reforms promoted by ministers including Gérald Darmanin and Bruno Le Maire. International engagements in forums like the G7 and the COP26/COP27 climate conferences continued to feature in Macron's agenda.

Category:Presidencies of France