New faces, women dominate Macron’s ‘French revolution’

Paris: French President-elect Emmanuel Macron’s party unveiled more than 400 candidates on Thursday to stand in parliamentary elections in June, with half of them newcomers to politics and half of them women.

Pro-Europe centrist Mr Macron, 39, was elected on Sunday after promising a “revolution” that would bring fresh faces into France’s stale political landscape and end the pattern of power alternating between traditional parties.

His newly renamed grassroots movement, La Republique en Marche (Republic on the Move), founded only 13 months ago, revealed 428 out of 577 candidates who will stand in parliamentary elections in June.

“We aim to build a majority for change and to win an absolute majority in Parliament for La Republique en Marche (LREM) in the National Assembly,” party secretary general Richard Ferrand told a press conference.

Mr Macron had promised that half would be newcomers, meaning a diverse range of figures from business, public service, activist groups and academia will get a chance to seek their first ever elected office.

“The promise of renewal is fulfilled,” Mr Ferrand added.