France

Emmanuel Macron, the President of France since May 2017, is a central figure in modern French politics. Born on December 21, 1977, in Amiens, France, Macron represents a blend of youthful dynamism and intellectual rigor. His rise to power was meteoric, reflecting both his political acumen and his ability to address a fractured political landscape in France. Macron's background is rooted in academia and public service. After studying philosophy at the University of Paris-Nanterre, he graduated from the prestigious École nationale d'administration (ENA), a traditional training ground for French elites. His early career included roles as a civil servant and as an investment banker at Rothschild & Co., where he gained recognition for brokering high-profile deals. This combination of public and private sector experience helped shape his pragmatic and reform-oriented approach to governance. Macron entered politics as a member of the Socialist Party but later positioned himself as a centrist. In 2016, he founded La République En Marche! (LREM), a progressive, pro-European political movement that sought to transcend traditional left-right divisions. His campaign for the 2017 presidential election emphasized economic reform, innovation, and a reinvigoration of the European Union. Macron defeated far-right candidate Marine Le Pen in the second round, becoming France's youngest president at the age of 39.