The French president made these statements during a television interview after the D-Day commemorations in Normandy. The liberal leader has been criticized for his omnipresence during the election campaign.
Just three days before the European elections, French President Emmanuel Macron gave a televised interview to the television channels TF1 and France 2 in Normandy on Thursday, after the D-Day landing commemorations.
Although historical and diplomatic reasons were given to justify his intervention, Emmanuel Macron commented on the elections, something highly criticized by multiple opposition parties who consider that the president was omnipresent during the electoral campaign.
“We need it to protect France”
“Europe has never been so threatened,” warned the French leader, referring to the rise of the extreme right in France and throughout the European continent. Macron’s party, Renaissance, led by Valérie Hayer, suffers in the pollsmore than 15% away from Jordan Bardella, leader of the far-right National Rally party (RN), according to the latest ‘Euronews’ poll.
“I see the levels of abstention (…) and I call on my compatriots to go to vote on June 9“said Emmanuel Macron, mentioning the fervent opponents of Brexit, who did not turn out in sufficient numbers to make their voices heard during the 2016 British referendum.
“We need it to protect France,” he pleaded, warning against “a vote to vent our anger.”
Internal issues have been at the forefront of the European elections in Francecon Immigration, purchasing power and security as voters’ main concerns. Jordan Bardella’s party (RN) has framed its campaign as a referendum on Macron’s approval, particularly on these issues. Bardella has said he will call for early legislative elections if his party wins.
Asked about the possibility of calling legislative elections in the event of a far-right victory, Macron declined to answer: “I will go to vote and on Sunday night we will see the results. I like to do things in the right order.”
How did the other European election candidates react to Macron’s interview?
Shortly after the end of the interview, Jordan Bardella reacted to the president’s words on European Union, such as the punitive environmental measures against our farmers and the avalanche of migrants”, before calling on voters to go vote on Sunday.
François-Xavier Bellamy, of the traditional right-wing party The Republicans (LR)also criticized the president’s interview and announcement on the French television channel BFM for consider them inappropriate.
“I see nothing in the president’s statement (…) that justifies that 24 hours before the end of the official election campaign there is such an urgency to speak to the French,” declared Bellamy.
The election campaign in France ends at midnight on Friday, after which candidates cannot speak publicly about the elections until the first exit polls, on Sunday at 8:00 p.m.
Macron’s interview could reduce Valérie Hayer’s speaking time
After multiple matches They will file complaints on Monday Following the announcement of Macron’s scheduled interview, the country’s media watchdog, Arcom, warned that could deduce the interview from the speaking time of EU candidate Valérie Hayer.
Because? During election campaigns in France, the speaking time granted to a given candidate or party is counted according to strict rules. For the European elections, The speaking time of all candidates must be equitable and not equal.
The speaking time of a list is deducted when the head of the party speaks, but also when one of his supporters speaks or if a guest announces his support for a certain party. This rule also applies to the head of state.
