French President Emmanuel Macron has tested positive for Covid-19. The news was given in a mid-morning Elysée press release: the text explains that the president has symptoms (so much so that he swabbed at the first occurrence of them) and that he will be in solitary confinement for the next 7 days (in France the compulsory isolation is for 7 and not for 14 days). Macron, the note explains, will continue to be fully operational even remotely.
There is a lot of secrecy about how the president contracted the virus, even if according to AFP reports, the Elysium has made it known that it has not found an explanation. As for Macron's contacts in recent days, almost all international partners are safe since European meetings are held by videoconference, even if the French president has met in person Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez Monday and Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa Wednesday. Furthermore, he has been in close contact recently with Prime Minister Jean Castex, the group leaders of the Chamber and seven ministers.
The news comes at a relatively positive moment for Macron, whose presidency has so far been plagued by social tensions, the health emergency and terrorist attacks. However, in recent weeks, thanks to emergency management and a tough fight against terrorism and crime, the approval rating of the leader of La Republique En Marche has risen to 49%, a level rarely reached in recent years and more higher than that of his predecessors Hollande and Sarkozy.
