“The opportunity to shape an image of post-presidency”
Jean Garrigues, specialist in political history, decrypts the ends of the mandates of the Presidents of the Fifth Republic, which do not all resemble each other.
Is Emmanuel Macron’s upcoming last year historically significant?
“If we compare with the presidents who served two terms, like François Mitterrand and Jacques Chirac, we see that those were catastrophic years. They experienced darker ends of mandates compared to what is anticipated for Emmanuel Macron. For François Mitterrand, it was described as a twilight atmosphere. There were revelations about his past, illness, etc. For Jacques Chirac, it was not any brighter as he was weakened by illness. So, almost nothing significant happened in terms of major reforms in the final years of Mitterrand or Chirac. This could encourage a bit of moderation as we approach Emmanuel Macron’s last year, which tends to be seen as unnecessary.”
What is the difference between Mitterrand, Chirac, and Macron?
“Emmanuel Macron has the advantage of still being able to make international moves, in the reserved domain of the president. Not only is he in good health, but he presides over international circumstances that may allow him to regain popularity. He is in a historical context that allows him to focus on the major role of a President of the Republic which is in foreign policy and defense. This could be an opportunity to shape his post-presidency image. Even if he struggles to shake off his image of being haughty, he has always had positive perceptions of his foreign policy or his position regarding the war in Ukraine, etc.”
“This preoccupation with post-presidency has always been strong in France”
Why do French presidents always think so much about their post-presidency?
“This preoccupation with post-presidency has always been strong in France where the presidential function plays an important role. It is almost a resurgence of monarchy. And so, like monarchs, like Louis XIV who built the Palace of Versailles, there is a desire to leave a mark, to give an image of oneself that will be received by posterity. This is not necessarily done methodically but over time. Mitterrand left a sense of height, of transcendence, and Chirac had a presidency of closeness, of good nature. Each time, the images were constructed without being manufactured. It was part of their personality.”
Do we already know what will be associated with Emmanuel Macron?
“On the scale of his immediate post-presidency, it will be very difficult. Society has evolved and holds a more and more uncompromising view of politicians. In the short term, many will remember a sense of disappointment compared to the hopes raised. Then probably, over time, all the crises he had to go through will be weighed in, and that will balance the judgment a bit.”
