Macron pledges ‘change’

French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday vowed a “change” of governing style regardless of who wins the snap elections he called, as fresh polls indicated his centrist party may once again be trounced by the far right.

Despite the prospect of a hung parliament, Macron insisted he would finish out his term until 2027, defying calls from opponents to step down in case the far-right National Rally comes out on top.

“The goal cannot be to just continue as things were,” Macron said in an open letter published in French media. “I have heard that you want change.”

“You can trust me to act until May 2027 as your president, protector at every moment of our republic, our values, respectful of pluralism and your choices, at your service and that of the nation,” he added.

Marine Le Pen, the National Rally’s figurehead, said Saturday that Macron’s resignation could be the only solution to avoid a lame-duck presidency for the remaining three years of his term.