Quartz: The philosophical strategy underlying Emmanuel Macron’s favorite phrase

One clear marker of Ricoeur’s influence is a phrase Macron often uses: “et en même temps” (“and at the same time”). In a recent interview with the Irish Times, Eileen Brennan, a philosophy lecturer at Dublin City University, observes that Macron is prone to repeating the phrase when “he announces plans to do two seemingly incompatible things such as liberalising the labour market and protecting those in the most insecure positions.” (Brennan credits French philosopher Olivier Abel for noting the connection.) [...]

Macron has a similarly practical approach, Stiver notes. “He’s careful about not being too unrealistic in making promises that he can’t deliver, and trying at the same time to be imaginative about the future and thinking about things that can be done,” he says, adding, “The problem is, in politics, you often have competing truths. You have to make a decision about which way to lean when you have different ethical impulses pulling in different directions.” [...]

And that’s the approach Macron seems to be taking with his centrist political views. He’s shown a willingness to ask others for advice on what to do, to work with both left- and right-wing cabinet ministers, and to reconcile seemingly contradictory ideas. Unlike populist leaders on the left and right today, Macron isn’t a fervent idealist. Instead, he’s happy to compromise.

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