Emmanuel Macron: The Art of Casting

The chapter focuses on an analysis of President Emmanuel Macron’s first term in office. In the 2017 presidential elections, Macron, the former Minister of the Economy under François Hollande, defeated the far-right leader Marine Le Pen. His election profoundly changed French politics, blurring the right-left divide. Macron adopted a centrist approach to governance, alternating political leaders from the left and right, as it became evident from his choice of the two Prime Ministers during his first term, Edouard Philippe and Jean Castex. This approach was fiercely criticised by the disintegrating traditional left and right wings, as well as by the radical left and the far right, but it proved to be effective: Macron triumphed in the 2022 presidential elections, positioning himself as a leader who could manage the various crises faced by the country and by Europe. Nevertheless, the price to be paid for pursuing centrist hegemonic governance was the sharp decline in the number of deputy seats for Macron’s party, following the June 2022 legislative elections (which essentially turned into a “third round” of the presidential elections). As a result, his new government has been at the mercy of the moderate right for the adoption of further substantive reforms.