During a modest ceremony at the Élysée Palace for Emmanuel Macron's inauguration on Saturday, marking his second five-year term, the French president received the National Order of the Legion of Honor. During the ceremony, Macron, like all past presidents, was awarded the National Order of the Legion of Honor, which is a highly symbolic piece, considered the jewel of the republic and symbolizes "the continuity of the state."
The medal is a necklace made of pure gold weighing 952 grams, presented on a red cushion. It consists of 16 links, each representing a key activity in French society, and features the letters "HP" in the center, signifying "Honor and the Fatherland."
Beyond being a simple distinction, "the necklace of the National Order of the Legion of Honor is not merely decoration, but a mark of the significant responsibility borne by the newly elected president." Macron is the first president to win two consecutive terms in two decades, but he has yet to announce the person he will appoint as prime minister for his new term.
