Macron hopes policy shift to the right, publicity stunts will help revive political fortunes

BRUSSELS - Precisely a week after appointing the youngest prime minister in his country’s history, French President Emmanuel Macron has claimed that reviving his nation’s patriotism and sense of civic responsibility will be his new government’s top priorities.

In

a marathon press conference held on Jan 16

in the grandest of the gilded halls of the Elysee presidential palace in Paris, and lasting for an unprecedented two hours and 20 minutes, Mr Macron called for the “civic rearmament” of France’s citizens.