At the farm show in Châlons-en-Champagne, northern France, people climbed on tables and trampled flower beds to see him. Relaxed and wearing a suit to match his blue eyes, Emmanuel Macron posed for selfies, worked the crowd and savoured the excitement. “Macron président!” his fans chanted.
The visit to Champagne on 1 September opened what is a campaign for the French presidency in all but name. Two days earlier, the 38-year-old presidential protégé had quit the economy ministry, which he had led for two years, and embarked on a self-appointed mission to “transform” France.
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