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French press review 31 August 2016

French commentators square off in passionate debate about Finance Minister Emmanuel Macron's political future after his resignation.

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The papers are all about Emmanuel Macron, France's Economy Minister who announced on Tuesday he was quitting the government of President François Hollande in order "to be free" and to push  his own agenda to "transform" the country's ailing country.

Le Parisien

The paper reports that the 38 year-old expressed his determination "to do everything so that the values, ideas and actions" of his "On the Move" party can transform France as soon as next year. But Le Parisien observes that Macron stopped short of declaring his presidential bid with just eight months to go to the 2017 Elysée race.

Several dailies present Emmanuel Macron's departure as a blow to President François Hollande, whose approval ratings are the lowest of any post-war French president.

Libération

The left-leaning publication says his innovative touch will be missed in the Elysée Palace where his meteoric rise to politics began two years ago.

But according to the paper, even if his departure from the unpopular Socialist government has rekindled the hopes of advocates of political renewal in France, the attempt to place himself above the political system won't be without risks. Macron could end up "with his head in the clouds" says Libé as Hollande loyalists line up to condemn him as a traitor.

Le Figaro

The right-wing newspaper ridicules Macron's politics of denial as he refuses to be linked to either the left or the right. Le Figaro makes a confession, that the young lad unknown just two years is liked by some conservatives, especially in the business world for his so-called "realistic declarations which break with the dogma of the left".

Le Figaro however criticises Macron for "inspiring the dreadful decisions taken during the first months of Francois Hollande's time in the Elysée".

Le Figaro says there will be very little to remember him for, except liberalizing public bus services. According to the paper, he has also offered nothing to restore the  schools system, to help contain immigration, boster the security of the French people and protect them from the perils of Islamists.

By jumping out of the Titanic, it says, Macron has at least gone out of his ambiguous situation with still a lot to prove.

L'Humanité

For the Communist daily, it is only in a sick democracy that a minister of economy can afford to jump from a sinking ship simply to satisfy his personal ambitions and to dare imagine that he could even be elected President of the Republic. It argues that it was not because of  a political discord that he quit.

L'Humanité says "he fled through the back door leading directly to the summer school of the French Employers' Federation, MEDEF, where a red carpet reception is waiting for him". 

The newspaper expresses regret that the so-called Macron laws bearing his name, which had been expected to boost growth sadly ended up worsening job insecurity and privatizing public services.

Les Echos

The economic newspaper argues that "even if Macron is unlikely to become President, the views of the 40 year-old digital age product and sibbling of the European family are good for the economy.

L'Opinion

It will be wrong not to take Macron seriously, especially his approach, his ambitions, his zeal, work spirit and emphaty, argues the right-wing publication.  According to the newspaper, voters clamouring for a little bit of freshness in French politics, would like his approach.

The publication urges him to define his stance which remains to be clarified on "a lot of issues, if not, on everything, including whether or not he intends to stand in the 2017 presidential elections.The earlier he does so, the better says L'Opinion. The paper warns that if he doesn't, he "could end up in the pack of so-called great champions of small-minded politicians".

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