French President Emmanuel Macron faces a daunting range of tasks after defeating far-right leader Marine Le Pen and winning a new term at the Elysee Palace.

AFP looks at five challenges ahead for the centrist, who was France's youngest ever president when elected in 2017.

- Mending divisions -

After a first term in office that featured the most violent anti-government demonstrations in decades -- the so-called "Yellow Vest" protests -- Macron will face a challenge bringing France together.

His programme was radically different to Le Pen's and the question now is how to reconcile their two visions of the future, which share relatively little common ground.

"I know that for many of our citizens who voted for the far-right the anger and disagreement that led them to make this choice must also receive a response," he said. "That will be my responsibility and for those around me."

French experts have warned about the risk of protests from people who do not feel represented by Macron, including those who voted for him simply to block Le Pen.

"The electoral campaign has not served as the pressure-release valve or as a cathartic purge of tensions across the country," political scientist and pollster Jerome Fourquet told Le Figaro newspaper.

"There is reason to fear that these will not be released in parliament but in the street," he said.

- Cost of living -

The priority for French people since late last year has been the rising cost of living, which has left many struggling to make ends meet.

Official annual inflation was clocked at 4.5 percent last month -- lower than other developed countries thanks to subsidies to keep electricity, gas and fuel prices down.

Macron knows there is growing discontent. On the campaign trail, voters repeatedly told him they were worried about filling up their cars and shopping baskets.

"It hasn't changed since September. It's the priority for French people," Bruno Jeanbart from the Opinionway polling group told CNews late Sunday.

"It has only increased with recent events, particularly with the crisis in Ukraine, and it will be a major issue for the newly re-elected president."

- War in Ukraine -

Macron led Western diplomatic efforts to reach out to Russian President Vladimir Putin after Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, but their talks have broken down in recent weeks.

Macron said he had reduced his conversations after the discovery of alleged Russian war crimes in the Ukrainian town of Bucha, near Kiev, in early April.

Under pressure from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, France has stepped up arms deliveries to Ukraine, announcing the delivery of state-of-the-art Caesar artillery cannons last week.

Macron made sure Zelensky was one of the first people he spoke to on Sunday night.

"Congratulations to Emmanuel Macron, a real friend of Ukraine, for his re-election," Zelensky tweeted.

- Government and a majority -

One of Macron's biggest short-term challenges will be naming what is expected to be a new government, with Prime Minister Jean Castex announcing his intention to resign.

Macron has asked Castex to remain in post for at least this week and perhaps longer, while he seeks to assemble a new cabinet ahead of parliamentary elections in June.

Macron has said he would like the prime minister's successor to be a woman, and he intends to give the next premier new responsibility for "environmental planning".

Experienced and ultra-loyal Labour Minister Elisabeth Borne is widely tipped as the frontrunner, though Macron is known to keep such decisions close to his chest.

Opposition parties are already eyeing June's parliamentary elections as a chance to thwart Macron's agenda, which includes raising the retirement age, welfare reform, and more tax cuts.

"On June 12 and 19 another world is still possible," leading left-winger Jean-Luc Melenchon said Sunday night, in a message echoed by Le Pen and others.

- Environmental programme -

Although the environment is among French voters' top three concerns, the climate crisis was often a subject on the sidelines of public debate during the campaign.

Melenchon drew wide support from young people in the first round of voting on April 10, having put the fight against the climate change at the heart of his programme.

Macron has played up his own green ambitions in recent weeks in a bid to reach this electorate, promising that France would be the first major country to abandon fossil fuels.

He vowed to make France "a great ecological nation" Sunday night, though many campaigners are sceptical about his willingness to make the hard choices needed to reduce emissions.

Related Links
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Ukraine war exposes Russia military shortcomings: analysts
Paris (AFP) April 25, 2022
Two months into the war in Ukraine, military experts say they have been shocked about how ill-prepared Russia has been in its invasion of its pro-Western neighbour. Despite an initial offensive on multiple fronts, Moscow has failed to gain the upper hand in the air, sent in columns of tanks without cover or coordination and has vastly underestimated the strength of Ukraine's resistance, experts say. The unanimous opinion among western military general staff is that Russian President Vladimir Put ... read more