Macron to give first TV interview as president
President Emmanuel Macron will tonight (Sunday) give his first ever television interview since he was elected, on the French channels TF1 and LCI, at 20h.
In contrast to many previous presidential interviews, Macron will not be seen from the official office of the President of the Republic - the “golden salon” (salon doré) - but instead will be filmed from his “work office”, on the first floor of the Elysée Palace, as reported by French news source 20 Minutes.
This more modest, everyday-style room has previously been the workplace of presidents’ special advisors, including Henri Guaino (for Nicolas Sarkozy), and Aquilino Morelle (for François Hollande).
Macron is said to not like the “golden salon”, and prefers to work and be seen from the more everyday working environment. His official photo, taken in June and shown on Twitter below from his official account, was also shot in the work office.
The exact content of tonight’s interview questions have not been revealed, but the topics are likely to focus on budget, healthcare, apprenticeships, and employment.
LCI has said that the interview has been ten days in the planning, after several months of organising and communication with the Elysée to secure a date.
The broadcast will be Macron’s first ever televised interview as President, as he missed the traditional July 14 interview this summer.
Since becoming President, Macron has kept his distance from the media, and has never even given a large press conference. Over the summer he gave just a handful of interviews with French and European newspapers and magazines.
Tonight’s interviewers will be Anne-Claire Coudray, Gilles Bouleau, and David Pujadas, the latter of whom was previously at the France 2 channel. The interview will begin at 20h and last an hour.
A statement from the Elysée ahead of the interview said: “We consider that this is an opportune moment to explain [Macron’s] actions to the French people, at this pivotal time.”
