Emmanuel Macron is an early favorite to be the next President of France. In the first round of the 2017 presidential elections, he and Marine La Pen qualified for the second round on May 7, 2017.
France may be looking at a new president in Emmanuel Macron. The centrist leader passed the first round of the elections with 23% of the votes. Now, only far-right leader, Marine La Pen stands between him and the Elysee Palace. If the polls are to be believed, Macron is poised to be the next leader of France. And what a groundbreaking victory it would be for this independent candidate! Here’s everything you need to know about the man with presidential potential, including his wife and net worth, in Emmanuel Macron’s wiki.
Cementing His Rise
While there have been a few frontrunners for France’s presidency, the first round of the French election results show that Emmanuel Macron’s rise is very swift. He began his professional career as an Inspector of Finances in the French Ministry of Economy in 2004. From there, he served as deputy rapporteur for the Commission to improve French economic growth, headed by Jacques Attali in 2007.
Macron took a break from his civil service by paying €50,000 to buy himself out of his government contract in 2008. He then worked as an highly-paid investment banker in Rothschild & Cie Banque.
Between 2006 to 2009, he was a member of the Socialist Party. In 2012, he was deputy secretary-general in President Hollande’s staff until 2014. He served as Minister of Economy and Finance in the second Valls Cabinet on 26 August 2014, where he pushed for business-friendly reforms.
Emmanuel Macron’s net worth hasn’t been calculated as of yet. However, reports claim he’s one of the top-paid politicians in the world, with earnings of more than $80 million. He owes his wealth to smart investments, substantial property holdings, and businesses like restaurants, as well as a football team, vodka brand, fragrance, and fashion line.
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His Academic Accomplishments
Macron and his family hail from Amiens in North France. His mother, Françoise is a physician and his father, Jean-Michel Macron, is a Professor of Neurology at the University of Picardy. Emmanuel Macron completed most of his education in Amiens before his parents sent him to a highly-distinguished school in Paris during his final year.
He studied Philosophy at the University of Paris-Ouest Nanterre La Défense, obtaining a DEA (Diploma of Profound Studies) and he acquired his masters in political science at Sciences Po. Macron went on to train for a career in civil services at the École Nationale d’administration, where he graduated in 2004.
His Parents Didn’t Approve of His Wife
If Macron becomes president, Brigitte Trogneux would be the new First Lady of France. Macron’s wife is 24 years older than him, and their age difference raised a few eyebrows. They met when he was just 15 in high school. At that time, she was married and had three children with her first husband. Trogneux was Macron’s teacher, and he is the same age as her second child.
Emmanuel Macron’s parents were upset about the married woman’s relationship with their minor son. They thought their son was wooing Trogneux’s daughter, but were shocked to know that wasn’t the case and told Trogneux to stay away from their son, at least until he was 18. They even sent him to school in Paris in an attempt to split them up, but it didn’t work. They stayed together after Trogneaux divorced her husband and Macron graduated, and then married in 2007.
The Future First Lady of France
Trogneux comes from a wealthy chocolatier family in North France. Macron is already a step-grandfather to seven grandchildren from Trogneux’s children, and the couple made the decision not to have children of their own.
Trogneux’s youngest daughter, 30-year-old Tiphaine Auziere, is a lawyer who works for Macron’s campaign. Her eldest son is older than Macron, and her middle child is his former classmate.
She plays a significant role in Macron’s campaigns; she helps him with his major speeches and attends agenda meetings with her husband. If Macron is elected and she becomes First Lady, Trogneux has some major plans as First Lady.
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The Man’s Position in the Election
Shortly after forming his own progressive political movement, En Marche, Macron resigned from his Government position to announce his presidential bid under the party. At the age of 39, he could be the youngest president in the history of France.
His policies are a balanced mix of the left and right wings, which make him a favorite of European governments. He’s also popular with masses who don’t want a radical change. The independent candidate is pro-EU, which could affect the upcoming Frexit polls should he become president. He also has a strong stance on immigration, saying France needs to strengthen borders and not unfairly target Muslims.
Being a former banker, he hopes to make France more business-friendly by lowering corporate taxes, which also became controversial. He also has an outline of policies regarding defense and intervening in Syria.
