About a week before the April 10 vote, Macron is on the defensive, with far-right leader Marin Lepen returning to the polls and the race tightening between the two leaders for the crucial April 24 run-off. read more “Look at what happened with Brexit and so many other elections: what seemed unlikely actually happened,” Macron told a crowd of supporters waving the flag. “Nothing is impossible.” Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register “The danger of extremism has reached new heights because, in recent months and years, hatred, alternative truths have normalized,” he said. “We are used to seeing anti-Semitic and racist writers on TV.” Although he is still predicted to win a second term, Macron has lost ground in opinion polls, a drop that some aides attribute to a manifesto that includes harsh, conservative measures, such as raising the retirement age to 65. Others have also criticized a campaign that started late and lacked “magic”. read more After entering the stage of a 35,000-seat stadium outside Paris as a rock star, Macron began his two-hour speech with a long list of accomplishments and promises to create jobs in hospitals and nursing homes, in a clear attempt to persuade the center – left-wing voters that pollsters say could abstain. “Our lives, their lives, are worth more than the profits,” he told the crowd, stealing a well-known anti-capitalist slogan. He also urged applause for teachers and nurses. However, he remained loyal to his reform agenda, saying the French would have to work harder to pay for the measures because he refused to raise taxes and increase the pile of public debt, which has reached 102% of GDP over the past year. of the pandemic. “I do not hide the fact that we need to work harder,” said Macron, who attacked candidates such as Le Pen and far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melanson, who had promised to lower the retirement age to 60. “Do not believe those who say they will lower the retirement age to 60 or 62 and that everything will go well. That is not true,” he added. The gathering of about 30,000 supporters – almost reaching the full capacity of the space – was attended by former left and right prime ministers and other greats of the party. However, a supporter interviewed by Reuters found the speech irresistible. “It’s a speech that shows he wants to explain what he’s going to do, but he was not inspired,” said Martin Rochepeau, a 22-year-old student. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register Report by Michel Rose. Additional references by Elizabeth Pineau. Edited by David Holmes Our role models: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
