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Today in France: The latest news from the 2022 French presidential election

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Today in France: The latest news from the 2022 French presidential election
Which presidential candidate would you most like a beer with. Photo by GAIZKA IROZ / AFP

Each weekday, our early morning roundup 'Today in France' takes a look at the latest news, events and gossip from the campaign trail - here's what is happening on Friday.

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Macron's launch

It was long awaited but in the end it seemed a slightly muted performance from Emmanuel Macron as he launched his manifesto for the next five years.

Speaking to an audience of journalists in the Paris suburb of Aubervillers, he spent four hours outlining his plans for the next five years, including tax cuts, a benefits shake-up and raising the pension age to 65.

A long-time champion of French tech, he also wants to create a "European metaverse" so as not to be "dependant on the Anglo-Saxons or Chinese" for digital services.

You can read the full programme here.

Winner of the beer test

He may be trailing in the polls, but Jean Lassalle can console himself on winning one vote - presidential candidate the French would most like to have a beer with.

The Ifop poll asked the public a simple question - Which of the 12 presidential candidates would you most like to have a beet with? Winner was Lassalle, who 39 percent of people said they would like to have a drink with. Second was Emmanuel Macron (although some of those respondents might have wanted to throw the beer at him) and third was Marine Le Pen.

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The least popular drinking companion was Parti Socialiste's Anne Hidalgo with just 14 percent.

Graphic: Le Parisien

Manifestations

Will PM Jean Castex's package of financial aid to help consumers and businesses cope with the effects of the war in Ukraine be enough to prevent demos during the election campaign? It seems not, judging by this response from a hauliers' association.

More manifestations

Far-left candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon is hosting a march between Place de la Bastille and Place de la République in Paris on Sunday, calling for the creation of a 6th Republic.

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Candidates trips

The candidates are spreading their wings around the country today; Emmanuel Macron is in Pau, Valérie Pécresse in Nîmes, Eric Zemmour is in Metz, Nathalie Arthaud is in Bordeaux and Philippe Poutou is in Nancy. Anne Hidalgo remains in Paris, where she is visiting the Grand Mosque.

 

 

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Anonymous 2022/03/19 17:41
A question: can Les Reps survive a 10% or so showing, as looks increasingly likely as they bleed support on both sides to EM and MLP? Or will they follow the same path as the Socialist Party and fragment into constituent parts? To their advantage is that they've done so several times before and therefore know the reassembly drill. Whatever, my top tip is to keep an eye on Christian Estrosi, Mayor of Nice, he's spent the last few years, after the Burkini embarrassment when the Nice flics patrolled the beaches harassing women for wearing too much clothing, improving his Green credentials and cosying up to developers. The resulting buildings are appalling of course but it's brought Nice a lot of money. Always banging on about his Gaullism he now fancies himself as a player on the national scene.

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