Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, is in for some “hot” competition with the new French Presidential election of Emmanuel Macron. Not only is Emmanuel Macron good-looking, but his policy platforms are seen by some as swoon-worthy. Macron has pledged to serve with “humility, with devotion, and with determination.”
Macron’s winning platform rested on several pillars: budget, European Union relations, immigration, trade, unemployment, and national security and defense. On budget, the new president hopes to develop a Nordic-style economy with a blend of fiscal restraint and public spending. In terms of the European Union, Macron is hoping to encourage greater cooperation with the EU in regard to fiscal, environmental, and social regulation. He intends to do this using a common fiscal policy, a joint financial minister, and a reworking of the banking system, as well as more focus on the Franco-German relationship.
As for immigration, Macron’s centrist immigration plans appeal to many of his constituents. He believes France should welcome refugees in need of protection but that other asylum seekers should be returned to their home country immediately.
A hot topic on the campaign trail was the challenge of globalization, particularly in terms of French jobs. Macron is a supporter of free trade, and in the first round of debates, he was the only one to express support for trade acts like the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), the EU-Canada deal. As President Elect, Macron is now looking to expand European cooperation and integration to create what he calls a “protective Europe”—for example, creating measures to prevent foreign takeovers of important industries.
France’s unemployment rate rested at just under 10 percent through the duration of the election, making unemployment another hot-button topic for French voters. Macron plans to introduce flexible overtime and hopes to give companies more freedom to negotiate specific deals on working hours and pay.
As France has seen an increasing number of terror attacks over the past few years, it is understandable that the new president wishes to increase spending to 2 percent, adding 10,000 police officers and restoring a network of field agent to combat Islamic terror. He has said that his top foreign policy goal is to “kill ISIS,” and he’s called for greater cooperation with the U.S. to accomplish this.
As with any new world leader, Macron will bee a president to watch.
Photo: French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during the Exceptional Gathering of Mayors of France before the May 2017 presidential elections. Credit: Frederic Legrand – COMEO / Shutterstock.com