The Mutualité de Paris rang out this Tuesday evening with a call for general mobilization launched by the presidential majority. In a tense pre-election context, marked by unfavorable polls, the head of the list Valérie Hayer and her team, accompanied by Gabriel Attal and a cohort of ministers, found themselves on the front line. The stakes are high: the European elections, one month before the vote, are seen as a crucial barometer for the French president.
The choice of venue, the Mutualité, is not insignificant. In 2016, at the same location, an outsider virtually unknown to the French launched his presidential campaign at the age of 38; it was Emmanuel Macron.
Faced with the rise of the National Rally with Jordan Bardella With a record-breaking run in the polls and fierce competition from Raphaël Glucksmann's list, which is hot on Hayer's heels in the polls and could trade his role as third man for second place, the presidential majority has adopted an all-out mobilization strategy. Valérie Hayer, in a fiery speech, called for unity and the defense of European ideals, presenting an ambitious program focused on European defense and massive investments for the future of the Union.
However, the task promises to be difficult. Unfavorable polls and growing public skepticism towards the European Union make this electoral campaign particularly uncertain. The list of the European majority, with that of Raphaël Glucksmann, is the only one that is very European, even federalist. However, Hayer and his team do not back down, even addressing voters tempted by the National Rally, warning of the risks of such an option.
In addition to the top candidate, prominent political figures such as Édouard Philippe and François Bayrou spoke, emphasizing the crucial importance of the European Union in a constantly evolving geopolitical context. The question of European unity, in the face of growing international challenges, is at the heart of the issues at stake in this campaign. Édouard Philippe, François Bayrou, Stéphane Sejourne, and even Elisabeth Borne are at the bottom of the list, for symbolism and to display a 5-star cast of former prime ministers and party leaders.
In the home stretch of the campaign, Emmanuel Macron announced his direct commitment, promising total involvement until election day. Its Prime Minister, Gabriel Attal, is also preparing for a crucial televised debate with Jordan Bardella, highlighting the strategic importance of these elections for the political future of France and Europe. The debate between the Prime Minister and the leader of the National Rally, scheduled for Thursday May 23 at 20:15 p.m. on France 2, will be hosted by journalist Caroline Roux in the program “L'Événement”. This initiative aims to relaunch the campaign of Renaissance candidate Valérie Hayer, who is struggling in the polls. The Prime Minister, having long avoided getting involved in favor of the head of the Renaissance list, is now taking the initiative to try to reverse, or at least attenuate, the balance of power against the National Rally.
In this electric atmosphere, the Mutualité de Paris served as a platform for a vibrant call for unity and mobilization in the face of European and national challenges. It remains to be seen whether this energy will be sufficient to reverse the trends and guarantee the biggest score for the presidential majority. Indeed, today the tenors of the majority no longer expect victory, as Bardella's lead seems certain, but want to reduce the gap as much as possible. The days to come will be decisive for the future of European politics and for Emmanuel Macron's leadership on the national scene.
