HIGHLIGHTS – Key Macron quotes on his campaign for a second term

PARIS (Reuters) – French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday outlined his key reform plans for a second term in office should he win April’s election.

Here are his key quotes:

Context

“Many of the things that we have to do today, in a time of crisis, and that we will have to do in the coming months and years will structure the life of our country in the long run.”

“We are at a tipping point where we can make a real difference.”

Macron said he intended to “make France a more self-sufficient nation.”

Labour market reforms

“The reform I want to carry out is to increase the legal retirement age gradually … to bring the legal age up to 65 years.”

“We will continue with reforms to the labour market, continuing to simplify social dialogue, continuing to give visibility to employers and employees. We will continue with reforms to unemployment insurance to adapt it to the economic situation.”

Public finances

“Before the COVID-19 crisis, we met our commitments. It would be a big mistake to rush to pay off (the debt-linked to COVID-19 spending).”

Industry and energy

“(Nuclear) is the only mix that allows us to reduce our carbon emissions in an efficient, rapid and sovereign way.”

“The State will have to regain control of several aspects of the energy sector. On the one hand, regulation. The rules governing prices at the European level, in particular our electricity prices, must be reformed. (And) we will have to take accumulate capital in several industrial players.”

On EDF: “On some assets the state will have to accumulate its stake and this will, moreover, go together with a broader reform of the leading French power producer.”

Defense spending

“We will hit our defense spending objective of 50 billion euros annually by 2025.

“It must be complemented by a greater commitment at a European level. The choices made by several of our neighbours in recent months are a good thing that strengthen us.”

Agriculture

“(We must) invest massively in France’s agricultural (and) industrial independence.”

“One of the challenges we face is the demographic transition of the agricultural road … In no circumstance can Europe allow itself it to produce less.”

Inequalities

“(We must) prevent inequalities at their root … Education and health are for me two great sources of inequality today.”

(Compiled by Richard Lough)