Second presidential term: Macron’s difficult restart

French President Macron has been introduced into his second term – and this time he relied on a more sober ceremony. Apparently he wants to avoid past mistakes.

More sober than 2017 – without a ride in an open car on the Champs-Elysées, but with the French sense of dignified staging, Emmanuel Macron has been introduced to his second term.

As tradition would have it, 21 gun salutes sounded at Les Invalides, and the President paced representatives of the French armed forces in the garden of the Elysée Palace. Macron gave a forward-looking speech in front of the 450 invited guests. “I will act without faltering and with a clear course. That of being a more independent nation, of living better and finding French and European answers to the challenges of our century,” said Macron.

Against nationalism and nostalgia

Alluding to his opponents on the extreme right, Macron stressed that the people had decided against nationalism and nostalgia in the presidential election. Instead, it chose the project of the future, Europe and independence.

“At this moment, when the century is faltering and climate change is affecting us all, we must walk together and speak with one voice. My belief is clear: let us have the courage to face reality in order to come closer to our ideal. Let us have the courage not to indulge in illusory delusions,” Macron said.

Macron wants to take everyone with him

He again asserted that he wanted to fill his second mandate differently. Less condescending: “Acting doesn’t mean administering the country and presenting the people with reforms like preconceived solutions. Acting is only possible with respect, exchange and appreciation – by including everyone and taking them along.

Despite winning the election, Macron lost votes overall. In the forthcoming parliamentary elections in June, he will therefore have to fight to regain a majority with his party. He has promised nothing less than a new start and has already renamed his party: It should now be called Renaissance and be open to as many moderate forces from left and right as possible.

The symbol of this strategy was the presence of the two ex-presidents in the ballroom at the inauguration ceremony. The conservative Nicolas Sarkozy welcomed the re-elected man of the center alongside his socialist successor Francois Hollande.