France’s Macron seeks to rejuvenate his presidency, says country has ‘all the aces to succeed’

PARIS (AP) — President Emmanuel Macron used a prime-time news conference Tuesday to lay out broad plans to strengthen and better prepare France for global crises, saying the country has “all the aces to succeed.”

The press conference is Macron’s latest effort to reinvigorate his presidency after a series of bruising domestic battles, notably about France’s retirement age and how to better control immigration.

It follows his installation last week of a new prime minister, France’s youngest ever, and new ministers – also part of a renewed drive by Macron to infuse his leadership with fresh faces and energy. The new Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, 34, and Cabinet members looked on, seated together to one side, as Macron held court in the presidential Elysee Palace.

Macron took a sweeping and broad look at challenges facing France as he embarked on his meeting with journalists. Against a blue-white-and-red background, he was expected to speak and answer questions for between one and two hours. Macron has held few wide-ranging news conferences at the Elysee Palace — and none in the evening. The timing was meant to reach the broadest audience possible, and the event was broadcast live on several national television channels.

Macron immediately struck an upbeat and determined tone, even as he cautioned that the world is changing, wracked by wars and other crises.

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“I am convinced that we have all the aces to succeed,” he insisted.

He also expressed the belief that “our children will live better tomorrow than we do today.”

Of his new government, he said he expects it show “daring, efficiency, action.”

In his second and last presidential term, Macron is weakened by not having a majority in parliament. That sets him the challenge of trying to ensure that he remains relevant and doesn’t become a lame duck. The Constitution doesn’t allow Macron to run for a third consecutive term in 2027.

Macron said in his New Year’s Eve address that he wants 2024 to be a year of “effective results” and “French pride” marked by the Paris Olympics this summer.

Recent opinion polls have shown that top concerns among the French include rising prices, struggling health and education systems, and security issues.

Macron’s move to refresh the government comes after two major laws he had promised were adopted last year. One pushed the retirement age from 62 to 64. The other, on immigration, is intended to strengthen France’s ability to deport foreigners who are considered undesirable.

The contentious immigration bill has been criticized by some in opposition as too right-leaning, and Macron himself had to argue it was not a victory for the far-right.

His government still faces a major challenge: With no majority in parliament, it can only pass laws by bargaining with opposition lawmakers and using special constitutional powers.

Amid other promises, Macron has vowed to bring France back to full employment by the end of his term. The proportion of jobless people fell since he arrived in office in 2017 from over 10 percent to about 7 percent last year, but it has started to rise again.

EU elections in June are another major challenge for the French president, who is a staunch supporter of the European Union.