French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Thursday he would run for a second term in April's elections, Reuters reported.
Macron announced his bid in a letter published by several regional newspapers. If he succeeds, he would be the first French leader in two decades to win a second term in office.
"We have not achieved everything we set out to do. There are choices that, with the experience I have gained from you, I would probably make differently," Macron said in the letter, listing the different crises he had to face over the past five years, including militant attacks, COVID, riots and war.
He defended his record, pointing to unemployment at a 15-year low. "I am running to defend our values that the world's disorders are threatening," he added.
Without giving a detailed manifesto, Macron said he would continue to cut taxes and push for the French to work more, suggesting a return of an abandoned pension reform. He also hinted at a reform of the education system, saying teachers should be freer and paid better.
Macron enters the presidential race just a month or so before the election's first round on April 10. Opinion polls project that he is favorite to win the race.
Other candidates in the election include far-right leaders Marine Le Pen and Eric Zemmour, who is Jewish, as well as center-right conservative Valerie Pecresse.