“French Election: Pro-European anthem signals dawn of the new Macron era”, The Times
Adam Page, Paris, May 8, 2017
The pop music had stopped and the crowd had fallen silent in expectation when a small figure in a dark coat emerged, alone, into the vast courtyard of the Louvre in Paris.
This was Emmanuel Macron’s victory party but his arrival was cloaked in solemn symbolism.
Here, in the building that embraces France’s past like no other — a palace in the ancien régime and a museum since the Revolution — he began to write a new chapter in the country’s history.
As he undertook a long, solitary march around the glass pyramid, his shoulders hunched slightly as if bowing under the weight of the task ahead, Beethoven’s Ode to Joy filled the air. This is the European Union’s anthem, and was a clear statement of his proEuropean intentions.
As the music finished Mr Macron climbed the steps to the stage and faced a crowd of thousands gathered under the night sky. Some were jubilant supporters wearing Macron Président badges; others were simply keen to see their new head of state, a man unknown to the public only three years ago and without the backing of an established political party.
“This evening France has won,” he said as tricolour flags waved and a roar of approval echoed off the Louvre. “What we have achieved is without precedent, without equivalent. They said it was impossible but they do not know France.”
He said that Europe and the world was watching France and expected the French to “defend the spirit of enlightenment threatened in so many places. They expect us to defend freedom everywhere, to protect the oppressed. They expect us to carry a new hope and a new humanism. They expect us to be ourselves.”
He concluded: “I will serve you with humility, with strength. I will serve you in the name of our motto, liberty, equality, fraternity. I will serve you with love.”
His speech had hardly ended before the crowd started to chant “Brigitte, Brigitte” and Brigitte Trogneux, 64, the teacher who became his wife, appeared on stage, tears in her eyes as she blew kisses and held her husband’s arm aloft.
Soon she was joined by her children and grandchildren and by members of Mr Macron’s team. They stood together, Mr Macron with his hand on his heart and smiling, to sing La Marseillaise.
At the end of it he hugged and kissed a young girl, whom most observers assumed to be one of his wife’s seven grandchildren.
“We wanted to be here because this is a party for the people,” said Christophe Freudenreich, 53, a computer engineer, who had come with his wife, two children and six friends. “I am happy that Marine Le Pen has been beaten. That is the most important thing for me.”
Among the crowd was Pierre Cieslak, a 26-year-old Parisian student wearing a T-shirt with an EU flag . He had been convinced by Mr Macron’s consistent pro-European stance, he said. “We are witnessing the birth of a new European movement. I don’t know if it’s a victory for Europe but it is certainly an important moment.”
Next to him were Charlotte Reversé, 46, and her husband, Jean-Philippe, 45, who works in the car industry. “I almost see this as a new dawn,” Mr Reversé said. “With the baby boomers heading for retirement, it is now Generation X and Y which is going to manage our future.” Like many of Mr Macron’s supporters, the couple hailed his pro-European line. “He will take a tough stance over Brexit and I would support that,” Mr Reversé said.
Marc Birman, 40, said: “It will be a good thing for Britain that there is a pro-European president in France. It may help the British to soften their stance on Brexit and that would be a good thing for them. I am happy to be here because Macron is a new type of politician. He is someone who can bring people together whether they are on the right or the left. He will get them to work together. I was really afraid that we were going to wake up and discover that we had a fascist as president.”
Many of those in the crowd warned, however, that in a divided country where the far right had polled more votes than ever before, Mr Macron’s honeymoon would be short-lived. Mr Reversé said: “He is going to have to tackle key reforms fast.”
Mr Cieslak agreed. “A lot of people I know voted for him with some reluctance. They voted for him because they did not want Marine Le Pen. A lot of people in this country are scared, angry and sad. A lot of French people do not believe in politics any more and Mr Macron will have to address that.”
June’s parliamentary elections also loomed large. Some doubt that Mr Macron can obtain a majority, depriving him of the levers of power. Mr Birman, however, was confident. “Even if he does not get a majority, he will be able to form a coalition like they do in Germany and get his reforms that way.”
On The President’s Agenda
- A law to enforce ethics in government and the political world. The main target is the abuse of MPs’ expense allowances and employment of family members
- Reform of the security and police services dealing with terrorism in order to combat Islamic State. Internet firms will be ordered to hand over keys to encrypted applications such as Whatsapp
- A decree to simplify France’s complex labour regulations. He will not wait for a bill to pass through parliament
- Reform primary school system with limit of 12 pupils per class and creation of 5,000 new teachers
- Creation of a “right to error” in citizens’ dealings with France’s vast state bureaucracy. Penalties will be replaced with advice and understanding for people who make mistakes in matters such as tax returns. Will not apply to crime