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A New French President: Emmanuel Macron’s Journey to the Elysee

Magnum photographers chart Macron’s quick rise to becoming President of France

Magnum Photographers

Bruno Barbey Emmanuel Macron giving a speech at AccorHotels Arena, Paris Bercy, one week before the first round of the French presidential elections. Paris, France, 17th April 2017. © Bruno Barbey | Magnum Photos

Jérôme Sessini Close up portrait of French president Emmanuel Macron photographed before the election, at a meeting in Paris, April 8, 2017. © Jérôme Sessini | Magnum Photos

Thomas Dworzak Emmanuel Macron ("En Marche!") on his last campaign rally before the May 7th runoff election when he defeated Marine Le Pen. Albi, near Toulouse, France, May 4, 2017. © Thomas Dworzak | Magnum Photos

Thomas Dworzak Campaigners at Emmanuel Macron's last campaign rally before the May 7th runoff election when he defeated Marine Le Pen. Albi, near Toulouse, France, May 4, 2017. © Thomas Dworzak | Magnum Photos

Thomas Dworzak Supporter at Emmanuel Macron's last campaign rally before the May 7th runoff election when he defeated Marine Le Pen. Albi, near Toulouse, France, May 4, 2017. © Thomas Dworzak | Magnum Photos

Thomas Dworzak Emmanuel Macron ("En Marche!") visiting a factory on his last campaign stop before the May 7th runoff election when he defeated Marine Le Pen. © Thomas Dworzak | Magnum Photos

Jérôme Sessini During a highly contentious election season, high school students along with far left activists protested against both candidates of french election, Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron. Place de la (...)

Thomas Dworzak Emmanuel Macron's En Marche! campaign ("On the Move"), at theWhirlpool factory in Amiens. During the campaign he faced off against Marine Le Pen, from the Front National, in the second round of the (...)

Thomas Dworzak Emmanuel Macron on the phone with former US President Barack Obama, who subsequently publicly endorsed him. Macron is the leader of the "En Marche" movement and at this time was a candidate for the (...)

Thomas Dworzak Emmanuel Macron and his "En Marche" movement at a pre-election rally at the Zenith concert hall, Nantes, France, 19 April 2017. © Thomas Dworzak | Magnum Photos

Thomas Dworzak Emmanuel Macron at Lille University to give a keynote speech on legal reform.

Lille, France, 14 March 2017. © Thomas Dworzak | Magnum Photos

Thomas Dworzak Emmanuel Macron traveling by TGV to Lille to give a keynote speech on legal reform. France, 14 March 2017. © Thomas Dworzak | Magnum Photos

Matt Stuart France. Palais des Congrès. Souillac. 2017. Emmanuel Macron at a Public meeting for "En Marche" ("On The Move"), his political platform. © Matt Stuart | Magnum Photos

Matt Stuart Political rally for Emmanuel Macron in Caen, France, on 4th March 2017. © Matt Stuart | Magnum Photos

Thomas Dworzak Emmanuel Macron, presidential candidate, pictured at a grain farm in western France, during his "En Marche!" campaign. Usseau, France, April 29, 2017. © Thomas Dworzak | Magnum Photos

Matt Stuart Campaign posters for Emmanuel Macron at a public meeting for "En Marche", his political platform. Saint Priest Taurion, France, 2017. © Matt Stuart | Magnum Photos

Matt Stuart Emmanuel Macron at a public meeting on the campaign trail, Saint Priest Taurion, France. 2017. © Matt Stuart | Magnum Photos

Thomas Dworzak Emmanuel Macron pictured during his campaign for the French presidency at a meeting with young people from a popular neighbourhood in the Parisian suburbs of Saint-Denis, 3 March 2017. © Thomas Dworzak | Magnum Photos

Abbas Emmanuel Macron during his tenure as Minister of Economy, Industry and Digital Technology, visiting the Eurosatory salon where the latest armament systems were displayed. Exhibition Park in Paris, (...)

Abbas An anti-Macro demo at the first meeting of Emmanuel Macron's movement "En Marche". Paris, France, June 12, 2016. © Abbas | Magnum Photos

Matt Stuart Campaign badges for French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron at Central Hall Westminster, London, UK, on 21st February 2017. © Matt Stuart | Magnum Photos

Thomas Dworzak Presidential candidate posters in the streets of Paris, two days before election day. 2017. © Thomas Dworzak | Magnum Photos

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On Sunday May 7, 2017, the French people voted and chose Emmanuel Macron as their new president, just over a year after the center-right politician set up his party En Marche!

With a business-friendly vision of European integration, Macron beat far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen, by (a projected) 65.5 to 34.5 per cent of the vote. The 39-year-old former banker, and former member of the Socialist Party (2006-9) worked as secretary general under François Hollande’s first government in 2012. He was appointed Minister of Economy, Industry and Digital Affairs in 2014 under the Second Valls Government. He resigned in August 2016 and declared, in November 2016, that he would run in the presidential election under En Marche!.

The 2017 French presidential elections represented a shift in the political establishment. While Macron’s pro-European, pro-business En Marche! was based on the idea of changing the political establishment by bringing in people from business and other walks of life, his opponent, Marine Le Pen, who had temporarily stepped down as the far right’s Front National leader in the run-up to election, more than doubled the share in vote her father got in 2002 when he ran against Jacques Chirac.

During a divisive pre-election campaign process, many French people saw both candidates as unpalatable. This manifested in protests against both candidates on the streets of Paris, and early indications that suggest that the final abstention level is likely to stand at between 25-27 percent.

At just after 8pm Paris time on May 7, 2017, Le Pen conceded defeat, saying that the French had “voted for continuity” and called on “patriots” to join her in political combat as she suggested setting up “a new political force”.

Almost an hour later in a speech, Macron addressed his country, acknowledging the social and economic divisions present in France. He saluted his adversary and referenced the “anger” and “doubts” people have had, vowed to guarantee the “safety and unity of the nation”, “fight division” and defend the “community of Europe”.