Arcom to Review Macron's Speaking Time in European Campaign

Macron's Sorbonne Speech Raises Questions of Electoral Fairness

From next week, the French audiovisual regulatory authority, Arcom, will investigate President Emmanuel Macron's speaking time during the European election campaign. This follows his recent speech on Europe at the Sorbonne, which has sparked concerns among opposition parties regarding its inclusion in the campaign's official media coverage.

Opposition Parties Alert Arcom

Both The Republicans and the Socialist Party (PS) have expressed concerns about the potential electoral influence of Macron's speech. The Republicans have formally requested that the speech be counted against the speaking time allocated to Macron's party, Renaissance, labeling it as "electoral propaganda." Similarly, PS leader Olivier Faure criticized the timing and nature of the speech, suggesting it might skew electoral fairness.

Media and Regulatory Scrutiny

Television and radio stations are set to submit their records of speaking times by each campaign to Arcom, which will review and publish the findings. The focus is on ensuring a balanced representation of all political forces in the lead-up to the June 9 vote. Arcom has not yet provided specific guidelines regarding the President's Sorbonne speech but maintains that any campaign-related presidential communications should be reported separately.

European Reaction to Macron's Vision

Macron's speech, aimed at reinforcing France's leadership in pushing for a more secure and sovereign Europe, has received a mixed response across the continent. While German Chancellor Olaf Scholz acknowledged the positive aspects of the speech, other European diplomats have shown limited enthusiasm, pointing to traditional French positions that may not garner widespread consensus.

The review by Arcom and the ongoing debate over the speech's impact highlight the complexities of political communication in an election context, especially when involving incumbent national leaders.