Public talk by associate professor & political scientist Magali Gravier (Department of Management, Society & Communication)

The discussion will be dedicated to the French President Emmanuel Macron. The political campaign leading to Macron’s election, as well as the election of Macron have been presented as exceptional in many respects. The discussion will start by a flashback on this historical moment to understand what was so unusual about the election of the 8^th president of the French V^th Republic. Then, more contemporary topics will be addressed. Indeed, with exceptionality come higher expectations regarding internal politics with a dense reform agenda; EU politics at the eve of Brexit; and world politics in an era of strong men: America’s Donald Trump, Russia’s Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping. One year and a half after his election, what has the Macron presidency achieved and where is it going? Several crises have affected his popularity since the summer: the Benalla affair, a cascade of resignations of Ministers (Environment, Sports, Interior…)… Is President Macron still in a position to push forward his political agenda or have the French voters expected too much from a president who is also just a man in the turmoil of the early 21^st century?