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WORLD NEWSSaturday 30 December 2017
France’s Macron enjoys popularity rise, faces new challenges
French President Emmanuel Macron adjusts his tie at the Elysee won a long-shot presiden- low for a newly elected on domestic issues to earn
tial bid, he has emerged president. Surveys by Ifop, a prominent place on the
Palace, in Paris. As Macron turns 40 Thursday, he’s wrapping up a as a key world leader at BVA and Odoxa institutes international scene.
the forefront of the battles showed a clear jump, with After Trump declared he
remarkable year. In the seven months since he won a long-shot against terrorism and cli- 52 percent of the French would withdraw the U.S.
mate change. saying they are “satisfied” from the Paris climate ac-
presidential bid, he has proved to be a key leader in Europe. Now the hard part seems or have a “good opinion,” cord, Macron launched
to lie ahead: transforming of Macron, up some ten his “Make the Planet Great
(AP Photo/Francois Mori) France, where critics have points from November and Again” initiative and called
branded him arrogant and around 40 in September. on U.S. researchers to
By SYLVIE CORBET in the polls and poised to authoritarian, with some Macron, who himself ad- come to France.
saying he evokes a long- mits he “came out of no- After the Brexit vote, he
Associated Press face major challenges at lost monarch. where” to win over far-right invited London-based in-
After a rocky start on the candidate Marine Le Pen, ternational companies to
PARIS (AP) — As French home and in Europe. domestic front, things are has since been on a pa- move to Paris and toured
looking much better for the rade of trips abroad while many EU member states to
President Emmanuel Ma- Macron is wrapping up a French president, the coun- welcoming international promote his pro-European
try’s youngest leader since visitors at home. ideas.
cron looks ahead to 2018, remarkable year. In the Napoleon, who turned 40 From his tense, white- He emerged as the most
on Dec. 21. knuckle handshake with influential European leader
he finds himself back up seven months since he A string of French polls show President Donald Trump, this autumn, when German
a clear surge in popular- to a major climate summit Chancellor Angela Merkel
ity in December, after last in Paris earlier this month, was bogged down with
summer Macron’s popu- Macron has seized on the months with coalition talks
larity fell to a near record U.S. administration’s focus following an election.q
Spain suggests Catalonia new
parliament to convene Jan. 17
By CIARAN GILES election under constitu-
Associated Press tional powers he invoked
MADRID (AP) — Spain’s in October to dissolve the
prime minister said Friday previous parliament after
he intends to convene it voted to declare Catalo-
Catalonia’s new parlia- nia an independent repub-
ment on Jan. 17 and hopes lic. He also removed the re-
the restive region’s next gion’s pro-independence
government won’t renew president and his Cabinet.
the push for independence Governing Catalonia will
that fueled a serious politi- remain in the hands of
cal crisis. Spanish authorities until a
Prime Minister Mariano Ra- new president and Cabi-
joy set the date just over net are chosen. Rajoy has
a week after a regional not ruled out seizing control
parliamentary election re- of the region again, if nec-
sulted in the separatist par- essary.
ties he hoped to keep out It remains to be seen if the
of power again winning secessionist parties, which
the most seats and in turn won 70 of the regional
a good chance to lead the parliament’s 135 seats, will
next Catalan government. be able to form a govern-
At the opening session, the ment. Eight of their depu-
parliament typically choos- ties elected last week are
es a house speaker, who either in flight from justice
then calls on a candidate or jailed in Spain while be-
to try to form a govern- ing investigated for alleged
ment in the following days. rebellion over the indepen-
Rajoy ordered the Dec. 21 dence declaration.q
