Emmanuel Macron laid out his vision for his new presidency on Saturday during an inauguration ceremony in which he called on the French to support his efforts to push back against Russia and attacks on democracy.
The French president also urged citizens to work on creating greater unity across the European Union, and to promote more social equality at home.
“The French people made the choice of a clear and explicit project for the future. A Republican and European project. A project for independence in a destabilized world,” Macron told an audience in Paris on Saturday.
He said he has been entrusted with “a new mandate that will be one of resolute action for France and for Europe, first to avoid any escalation following the Russian aggression in Ukraine, and to have the courage to build a new European peace and new autonomy on our continent.”
The 44-year-old politician defeated Marine Le Pen, his far-right rival, by taking 58 percent of the vote in the second round of France’s presidential election on April 25. His victory — which now makes him arguably the most senior national EU leader — came after Macron faced attacks from both the right and the left that he had failed to live up to his initial promises when first elected in 2017.
We will “act tirelessly with a goal of being a more independent nation, to live better, and to build French and European responses to the challenges of our century,” Macron added.