Here is a look at the life of France’s President Emmanuel Macron.
Personal
Birth date: December 21, 1977
Birth place: Amiens, France
Birth name: Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frédéric Macron
Father: Jean-Michel Macron, professor of neurology
Mother: Françoise Noguès-Macron, physician
Marriage: Brigitte (Trogneux) Macron (2007-present)
Education: Université Paris Nanterre; Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris (“Sciences Po”); École Nationale d’Administration, 2004
Religion: Baptized Roman Catholic when he was 12, but his spokesperson describes him as a “spiritual agnostic”
Other Facts
At age 39, Macron became the youngest president in French history.
Prior to being elected president of France, he had never held elected office.
Macron, a centrist, has said his aim is not to bring people to either the right or the left, but to unite the French people.
During his time as economy minister, he spearheaded the so-called “Macron Law,” which aimed to shake up the economy through labor reform. The measure had to be forced through the National Assembly with the help of a controversial parliamentary measure and led to several days of protest.
Worked on Francois Hollande’s 2012 presidential campaign.
Macron’s wife, Brigitte, was his high school drama teacher. By the time Macron was 17, he claimed he would eventually marry her, though she was married with three children at the time.
Timeline
2004-2008 - Finance inspector with the ministry of economy.
2008-2012 - Investment banker at Rothschild & Cie Banque in Paris.
2012-June 2014 - Serves as President Hollande’s deputy secretary-general.
August 26, 2014 - Replaces Arnaud Montebourg as Minister of Economy, Industry and Digital Affairs.
2015 - Is the chief architect of an economic reform bill for growth, activity and equal opportunities. The law becomes known as the “Macron Law.”
April 6, 2016 - Announces the launch of the political movement En Marche! (“On the Move!”).
August 30, 2016 - Resigns as economy minister. As Macron announces his resignation, he suggests he needs time to prepare for a presidential bid, stating “I am determined to do everything so our values, ideas and actions can transform France starting next year.”