Emmanuel Macron wants to regulate screen time for French children, test compulsory school uniforms and is not against all primary school children having to learn the national anthem, he said at a press conference and promised “common sense” in France.
The French president, seeking to limit the far right's potential gains in European elections, laid out his vision for the coming years, focusing on law and order, education and pro-business policies, days after naming France's youngest-ever prime minister concentrated, Gabriel Attal.
Macron said his plans were for “France to remain France.” He focused on low- and middle-income voters' fight for a good life and promised to boost businesses by cutting red tape as he sought to move away from last year's controversial pension changes and immigration legislation.
Macron said he recently convened scientific experts to ask them to determine “the best use of screens” for young children. He said French families don't feel confident about how much TV, phone and computer time their children should have. He said scientific experts should provide clear guidelines, saying: “Before a certain age, it doesn't make sense to put a child in front of a screen.”
When asked what age and possible restrictions there are, he replied that he could not say at the moment. “There could be bans, there could be restrictions,” he said.
Macron confirmed that compulsory uniforms would be trialled in around 100 schools, adding that there would be more civics lessons and that all children in middle school should have access to drama lessons.
He said he wanted to work to reverse the decline in birth rates in France and launch a national program to combat the rise in infertility. He said parental leave would be revamped, which he said would result in better pay for a six-month period for both parents.
As he seeks to counter Marine Le Pen's far-right Rassemblement Nationale, the largest single opposition party in the French parliament, Macron confirmed he would cut taxes for middle earners. This is part of his attempt to appeal to French workers who earn relatively modest salaries but too much to qualify for state aid. He said: “There is a blind spot in France, which means that many of our compatriots earn too much to get help but not enough to live well.”
He said Le Pen's party had no viable manifesto and had not told voters the truth. “The National Rally has become the party of easy anger,” he said.
Macron said he had “no regrets” defending actor Gérard Depardieu's “presumption of innocence” as the film star is officially under investigation for rape and under surveillance for sexist comments. Feminists and politicians on the left reacted with outrage when Macron described Depardieu as the target of a “manhunt” last month.
Macron said: “If I have one regret, it is that I did not emphasize enough the importance of the words of women who are victims of this type of violence.”
Macron said he would travel to Ukraine next month to conclude a bilateral security guarantee agreement and that Paris would deliver more sophisticated weapons in the coming weeks.
The trip comes at a time when political infighting in the US and EU has held up two major aid packages for Ukraine.
France is working to conclude a bilateral security guarantee agreement with Ukraine to strengthen its finances and defense against Russia and deter Moscow from future aggression.
Macron said 40 long-range Scalp missiles and several hundred bombs would be delivered in the coming weeks.
“With these supplies, I will travel to Ukraine myself in February and finalize these texts,” Macron told a news conference, adding that Europeans must ensure Ukraine can continue to defend itself against Russia.
Kiev is trying to maintain military and financial aid from its Western allies after fighting a full-scale Russian invasion for nearly two years.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was in Kiev last week to sign a new security agreement and announce an increase in military funding for Ukraine to purchase drones, including surveillance, long-range strike and maritime drones.
Macron said Russia must not allow Ukraine to be defeated, otherwise Europe's security would be at risk.