French classes complete presidential profiles

French Presidential Elections 2017
 
In view of the upcoming presidential elections in France, the French Level 4 students at ALJ held a mock election considering the top candidates for the presidential seat.  Each student researched the backgrounds of at least two candidates; highlighting their backgrounds and any experience that could help a voter make a decision on their pick for the seat.  After the students presented their candidates to the class, they each filled out mock ballots and then tallied all votes to see whom they feel should be the next President of France.  The class chose Emmanuel Macron.
 
At 39 years old, Emmanuel Macron, founder of a movement called En Marche!,  is the youngest candidate in the race.  He is a former Minister of Economy; one of the most important government seats in France.  He has never run for elected office and describes himself as "neither of the right nor the left". Other past positions included an appointment as deputy secretary-general of the Élysée in 2012 and economy minister in 2014; lending his name to the "Macron law" which promoted economic growth and opportunities. In April of 2016 he founded the En Marche! movement before he resigned from the cabinet on August 30. He is considered to be one of the most pro-European of the candidates.  His intention is to create and implement reforms that will modernize the French economy.
 
Elections in France will be held on April 23, 2017.  The country operates a two-round system; Article 7 of the Constitution1 states that “if no candidate secures absolute majority (i.e., including blank and null ballots) of votes in the first round, a second round is held two weeks later between the two candidates who received the most votes.”  The new President of the French Republic will be declared on May 11, and the ceremony of investiture will take place on May 14 in the Élysée Palace.  The students of the ALJ French Level 4 class wait to see if their pick will be the one.
 
 
​

---