Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frédéric Macron has been the President of France since 2017.
Before his presidency, Macron served as Minister of Economics. In 2017, he became the first person in the history of the Fifth Republic to be elected president.
In recent news, Macron invited Syria’s new interim president, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, to France in the coming weeks.
He spoke with Al-Sharaa about lifting economic sanctions to help Syria’s economic recovery, supporting Syria’s political transition, and fighting terrorism.
Macron also advocated for integrating the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into the transitional process.
Parents
Emmanuel was born on December 21, 1977, in Amiens, France. His parents are Jean-Michel Macron, a professor of neurology at the University of Picardy, and Françoise Noguès, a physician.
They divorced in 2010. Jean-Michel Macron has since remarried to Hélène Joly, a psychiatrist.
In 2022, Jean-Michel Macron stated that he approves of “90 percent” of what his son had done for France over the past five years and that the French are ungrateful.
Macron’s parents were initially alarmed by his relationship with Brigitte Auzière, his married teacher, who later became his wife.
They sent him to Paris to finish his last year of school due to this bond.
His father “almost fell off his chair” when he learned about his son’s affair with his married teacher.
They asked Ms. Trogneux not to see their son again until he reached adulthood, but she told them she couldn’t “promise anything”.
Early career and politics
Macron’s education at ENA, a prestigious French graduate school that trains top civil servants, was crucial. It provided him with a deep understanding of the French state and its workings.
This foundation was essential for his early roles in public service.
As a finance inspector, Macron likely worked on auditing government finances, analyzing economic data, and advising on fiscal policy.
This experience honed his analytical skills and gave him firsthand exposure to the complexities of the French economy.
His move to investment banking at Rothschild was a significant departure. It demonstrated an ambition to operate in the private sector and gain experience in finance and business.
This role allowed him to develop a network of contacts in the business world and gain insights into how businesses operate.
His work involved advising on mergers, acquisitions, and other financial transactions.
The substantial earnings he accumulated during this period are a testament to his success in the financial sector.
Macron’s political career began behind the scenes as an advisor to François Hollande during his 2012 presidential campaign.
After Hollande’s victory, Macron became Deputy Secretary-General of the Presidency.
In this role, he advised the President on economic policy, helped to draft legislation, and played a key role in shaping the government’s agenda.
His appointment as Minister of Economy in 2014 marked his entry into the forefront of French politics.
In this role, he championed pro-business reforms aimed at stimulating economic growth and reducing unemployment.
Some of his key initiatives included labor market reforms, deregulation measures, and policies to support innovation and the digital economy.
Macron’s decision to resign from the government and launch his own political movement, En Marche! (later renamed La République En Marche!), was a bold move.
En Marche! was positioned as a centrist, pro-European alternative to the traditional parties of the left and right.
His campaign emphasized economic reform, European integration, and a renewal of French politics.
He successfully tapped into a widespread desire for change and a sense of disillusionment with the established political order.
As President, Macron has pursued an ambitious agenda of economic and social reform, including further labor market reforms, tax cuts, and efforts to modernize the French state.
He has also played a prominent role on the international stage, advocating for European integration, climate action, and a multilateral approach to global challenges.
Some key initiatives and challenges during his presidency include continuing efforts to make the French economy more competitive, attract foreign investment and reduce unemployment.
He has faced significant social unrest and protests, particularly the “Yellow Vest” movement, which challenged his economic policies and perceived elitism.
Recent pension reforms have triggered widespread strikes and demonstrations across France.
The reforms aim to raise the retirement age and increase the number of years people need to contribute to the system.
