French President Emmanuel Macron, accompanied by the head of the Renew Europe group and lead candidate for Renaissance in the European elections, Valérie Hayer, addressed the press before a Renew Europe group meeting preceding the European summit in Brussels on April 17, 2024. Macron expressed concern that fears are leading to simplistic responses and criticized the hypocrisy of those who denounce the European Union while benefiting from its dividends. He highlighted the need to address the current fears and hypocrisies in political debates.
During his visit to Brussels, Macron emphasized the prevalence of fears and concerns in today’s world, noting how these emotions often lead to simplistic solutions. He called out the hypocrisy in political debates and expressed hope that this hypocrisy would be exposed in the coming weeks. Macron indirectly targeted the Rassemblement National (RN) party, led by Jordan Bardella. Macron and Hayer made their first public appearance together since the start of the campaign, attending a Renew Europe group meeting.
The candidate from the presidential camp, Valérie Hayer, has struggled to make an impact in the campaign as the Renaissance list continues to lag behind the Rassemblement National (RN), which is leading in the polls with over 30% of voter intentions. The Renaissance list is currently polling around 16%, closely followed by the PS-Place Publique list led by Raphaël Glucksmann. The presidential camp is waiting for Macron to enter the campaign, although details of his involvement are yet to be specified.
Emmanuel Macron launched an offensive ahead of the June 9th election, targeting the RN and its contradictions on European issues, the economy, and diplomacy. He criticized the party for previously advocating leaving the euro and undermining Europe’s policies while claiming to defend certain sectors at home. Macron pointed out that if their policies had been followed in the past five years, Europe would be in a very different situation. He highlighted the potential consequences of following the RN’s proposed policies on various issues.
The French government, led by Macron, is focusing on countering the extreme right as its main opponent in the upcoming election. Macron highlighted the RN’s inconsistencies and the potential negative impact of their policies on issues such as the response to Covid-19, relations with Russia, and European ambition in research and technology. By targeting the RN’s track record and highlighting their potential outcomes if in power, Macron aims to sway voters away from the extreme right in the upcoming European elections. Macron’s statements in Brussels serve as a step in his campaign strategy to address fears and denounce the hypocrisy he sees in political debates.
