Emmanuel Macron
Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frederic Macron (; born 21 December 1977 in Amiens) is a French politician, senior civil servant, and former investment banker. Macron is the 25th and current President of France and co-prince of Andorra since 14 May 2017.
Macron was a member of the Socialist Party (PS) from 2006 to 2009. He was designated deputy secretary-general under Francois Hollande's first government in 2012 before being appointed Minister of Economy, Industry and Digital Affairs in 2014 under the Second Valls Government, where he pushed through business-friendly reforms.
Macron resigned in August 2016 in order to launch a bid in the 2017 presidential election. In November 2016, Macron declared that he would run in the election under the banner of En Marche!, a centrist movement he founded in April 2016. Macron won the election after defeating Marine Le Pen on the second round on 7 May 2017 by winning 66% of the vote. At his election to the presidency at age 39, he became the youngest President in French history and the youngest head of state since Napoleon III. He was re-elected in 2022 beating Le Pen again, becoming the first French president in twenty years to win re-election.
Early life
Macron was born in Amiens, France. He is the son of Francoise (Nogues), a physician, and Jean-Michel Macron, professor of neurology at the University of Picardy. He was raised in a non-religious family, but he was baptised a Roman Catholic at his own will at age 12. He learnt piano in Amiens conservatory.
His parents sent him off to Paris because of a bond he had formed with Brigitte Auziere, a married teacher with three children at Jesuites de la Providence, who later became his wife. He studied Philosophy at the University of Paris-Ouest Nanterre La Defense.
Early political career
Macron was a member of the Socialist Party (PS) from 2006 to 2009.
He was appointed as the Minister of Economy and Finance in the second Valls Cabinet on 26 August 2014, replacing Arnaud Montebourg. In August 2015, Macron stated that he was no longer a member of the PS and was now an Independent.
2017 French presidential bid
Macron founded an independent political party, En Marche!, in Amiens on 6 April 2016. On 16 November 2016, Macron formally declared his candidacy for the French presidency after months of speculation. In his announcement speech, Macron called for a "democratic revolution" and promised to "unblock France".
Many foreign politicians have voiced support for Macron, including European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and former US President Barack Obama.
On 23 April 2017, Macron won 24% of the vote with opponent Marine Le Pen winning 21%. During the second round, Macron beat Le Pen by a Landslide victory with 66% of the vote to LePen's 34%.
President of France (since 2017)
Macron formally became President on 14 May. On 15 May, he appointed Edouard Philippe of the Republicans as Prime Minister. On the same day, he met Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany, as part of his first official foreign visit. The two leaders emphasized the importance of France-Germany relations to the European Union. They agreed to draw up a "common road map" for Europe, insisting that neither was against changes to the Treaties of the European Union.
Opposition to his domestic reforms, such as a proposed fuel tax, caused the 2018 yellow vests protests and other protests. From 2020, he led France's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccination rollout. In foreign policy, he called for reforms to the European Union, and signed bilateral treaties with Italy and Germany.
He also oversaw a dispute with Australia and the United States over the AUKUS security pact, continued French involvement in the Syrian civil war, and joined in the international response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Honours and decorations
National honours
Foreign honours
References
Other websites
1977 births
Living people
French bankers
Current national leaders
French Roman Catholics
People from Hauts-de-France
Leaders of political parties
Presidents of France
Princes of Andorra
Socialist Party (France) politicians
Honorary Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
French Ministers of Finance