How Brigitte Macron captured the Elysée

As Emmanuel Macron approaches the end of the second year since his re-election, his presidency seems to have become a cosplay. Out is Macron the policy wonk, mansplaining interminably. In is Macron the action man. 

What might be behind this remarkable transformation? Brigitte, say the Elysée-ologists. President Macron’s wife, his high school drama teacher, 24 years his senior, appears to be the winner in a palace power struggle and Macron 2.0 is the result.

It’s been rough for Macron since he lost his majority in the National Assembly in 2022. His relationship with the German chancellor has descended into mutual loathing. He’s tottering on the edge of humiliation to the Rassemblement National (National Rally) in June’s European elections. In the polls he’s even less popular than Rishi Sunak and only marginally more liked than Olaf Scholz.

Macron’s response, influenced by Brigitte, wife turned Elysée power player, has been metamorphosis. The irritating know it all, the uber-technocrat, unable to stop talking, is suddenly channelling Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa.