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"Signs of nervousness" Politico sees in Macron's campaign for the second round of France's presidential election.
Indeed, it accuses him of making mistakes and appearing unprepared in front of disgruntled voters and claims that his first post-election tour of "hostile areas" in Le Pen's "castles" in northern France "did not go well."
One of his first stops was in Denain, one of France's poorest towns, where Le Pen took 41 percent in last Sunday's election. There, the French president faced protests, both over his handling of the pandemic and his plans to raise the retirement age.
A female unvaccinated dental assistant who shouted at him that it was a mistake to close schools during the lockdown got the harsh presidential response, "You don't live in the real world!"
-I don't live in the real world? People will laugh in front of their televisions at what you say," she replied.
Target, the "ordinary voter"
The incident sums up the difficulties Emmanuel Macron will face as he steps up his campaign to prove he is in touch with the "ordinary voter" especially in areas where discontent abounds.
Macron took a long time to formally announce his candidacy for a second term he did so last month and started touring much later because of the war in Ukraine. In fact, before the first round of the elections, he did not visit even one of his opponents' "castles."
On the other hand, Marine Le Pen started touring six months ago, keeping a low profile: She visited small towns and villages, focusing on issues of concern to the average Frenchman such as the cost of living and jobs.
In any case, Macron knows he doesn't have much luck in areas dominated by Le Pen both he and his rival know that this time, the regulators will be the voters of Mélenchon, who, in his third attempt at France's presidential election, almost made it to the second round.
From Denain, Macron made a U-turn on his "flagship" plan for pension change with an age limit of 65 and a minimum pension of 1,100 euros by 2030. "I am ready to change the timetable if I feel people are too worried about it," he said, risking being caught in the crossfire."
Source: Proto Thema
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