Macron cancels his first campaign meeting scheduled in Marseille

The French president will not visit the city of Marseille because of the crisis in Ukraine, his campaign team said on Monday, as the first round of the French presidential elections is due to start in 42 days.

Emmanuel Macron, who was to hold his first campaign meeting on Saturday 5 March in Marseille, has said he will not go to the southern city.

The French president, who is not yet officially candidate for re-election, is worried by the situation in Ukraine and has a series of meetings with various heads of state, his campaign team explained Monday.

Emmanuel Macron has until Friday 6 pm to formally declare his candidacy for re-election.

In the midst of the Ukrainian crisis, Emmanuel Macron has put off the question of his candidacy until closer to the deadline set by the Constitutional Council. 

Candidates meet on Ukraine

Prime Minister Jean Castex on Monday also received seven candidates for the presidency for a briefing on the Ukrainian conflict including: Fabien Roussel, Yannick Jadot, Anne Hidalgo, Valérie Pécresse, Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, Marine Le Pen and Eric Zemmour. 

All the candidates accepted the invitation, except Nathalie Arthaud of Lutte Ouvrière. On a trip to Reunion Island, the leader of France's far-left party France Unbowed, Jean-Luc Mélenchon should, according to his entourage, be received at Matignon on his return - certainly on Wednesday.

After nearly two hours of meeting, candidates were satisfied. "We have had very complete information", said Valérie Pécresse. "Very useful, very interesting and we must pay tribute to the prime minister," said Eric Zemmour. Anne Hidalgo described it as "useful and important" meeting

Concerns about the election campaign

The government's information approach was approved. But there were still concerns about the election campaign. Green leader Yannick Jadot explained he does not want these concerns to be ignored. "This great democratic moment must take place. It is a great and necessary debate that the French people deserve."

The government was reassuring.
"Guarantees have been given to us on the 'normal' conduct of the presidential election. So it is obviously important," the candidate of the National Rally (RN) party Marine Le Pen  said.

All the candidates hope that the campaign for the presidential election can be held as scheduled.