French President Emmanuel Macron unveils re-election campaign

By Shweta Desai

PARIS (AA) - President Emmanuel Macron launched his re-election campaign Friday by unveiling a video message where he defended his performance as head of state.

“The results are there in spite of the pandemic and geopolitical crisis,” he said.

“I tried to do the maximum … sometimes I did not succeed in going to the end because of the crises … but on the things I committed, I put a lot of energy the results are there in spite of the pandemic in spite of the geopolitical context,” Macron said in the four-minute video released on social media networks.

He sought a new mandate by declaring: "I have an ambition for the country. I still want to be able to make things happen with you.”

Giving a peek of his day in the office in the Elysee Palace, Macron said he regretted that he could not present his candidacy earlier, citing the coronavirus pandemic and the Russian war in Ukraine.

“It is necessary that the candidate should present his project to the country but it is also necessary that the president continues to do his job … today I had to speak to (Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin and (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelensky,” he added.

Although polls show a jump in Macron’s approval ratings and place him ahead of his opponents, one day after he formally announced his bid for the presidential elections April 10, he underlined that he needed to acquire the trust of the French people.

Briefly highlighting his achievements -- the lowest unemployment rate in 15 years, highest youth employment in 40 years and more than 700,000 apprenticeships -- he said he would explain it to France with “patience and humility” against the backdrop of the war, difficult decisions and the grave time they will be forced to live in.