Macron unveils the new Marianne of postage stamps

Emmanuel Macron unveiled Tuesday at the La Poste printing works in Boulazac (Dordogne) the face of the new Marianne, symbolizing the ecological transition, which will adorn the stamps in common use from November 13.

With this “Marianne of the future”, with a peaceful look, her hair blending into a vegetated area, the graphic designer Olivier Balez wanted to “participate in the story of the climate emergency without falling into something anxiety-provoking”.

“She is the Marianne of ecological transition, her long diagonal neck symbolizes the momentum towards the future,” this author and illustrator of press, children’s literature and comics explains to AFP

The President of the Republic also welcomed the “transformation” of La Poste, an “immense challenge with all the changes in use of our time”.

Just 15 years ago, letters represented 70% of La Poste’s turnover, whereas today they only account for 16%, according to the group’s CEO Philippe Wahl.

“You have been able to turn these challenges into levers of transformation, by creating new jobs, new opportunities”, with in particular the expansion of parcels, postal banking or services for the elderly, indicated Mr. Macron before factory employees and local elected officials.

Established since 1970 in Boulazac, near Périgueux, the stamp printing plant, the only one in France, employs around 400 employees, including engravers and designers.

Each year, nearly a billion French stamps come out of its presses, which also produce for other countries, notably Japan.

At each change of five-year term, it is traditional for the new president to select the stamp commonly used for his mandate. This tradition was always maintained under the Fifth Republic

© 2023 AFP

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