L
ess than 10 minutes. For once, Emmanuel Macron – whose words have lost much of their impact – kept it brief on Wednesday, December 31, for his penultimate New Year's address to the French people. Bound by this constitutional ritual, the president, who had not spoken directly to the nation for several months (his last major television appearance on the TF1 channel was in May) tried to defend his record. It has deteriorated since the abandonment of the only structural reform of his second term, the pension reform, which was sacrificed amid the heat of budget debates.
Macron highlighted employment figures and the resilience of the French economy, with inflation "one of the lowest in the eurozone." He made no mention of the political crisis in which the country remains mired, nor of the dire state of public finances. Nor did he address his promise, made on December 31, 2024, to consult the French people on major issues – a pledge that was never fulfilled.
Subscribers only
Macron seeks consensus and pledges to work 'until the very last second' in penultimate New Year's Eve address
