Basking in the glow of his victory in the first round of France’s presidential election Sunday, Emmanuel Macron delivered one platitude after another during his 14-minute speech to supporters.

A casual observer tuning in to the young former economy minister for the first time could be forgiven for not having any idea where he stood on the issues. In sharp contrast to Marine Le Pen, his opponent in the May 7 runoff, Macron steered clear of substance — other than to congratulate French voters for choosing him.

“And it has replied in the best possible way, by voting en masse. It has decided to put me through to the second round of this vote.”

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Macron made a vague reference to terrorism, social suffering, and “ecological consequences” during his address.

“And [France] has replied in the best possible way, by voting en masse,” he said. “It has decided to put me through to the second round of this vote.”

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Perhaps, it is sound strategy for a candidate who worked for the unpopular Socialist government, presents himself as a centrist, and now hopes to attract support from across the political spectrum against an opponent whose party often is caricatured as a collection of bigots. But it is doubtful that he will be able to cakewalk to the French presidency during the next two weeks by floating above politics.

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For now, though, Macron was content with celebrating the demise of the two major parties that have dominated the country for decades.

“I have heard doubt, anger, the determination of the French people to change, and the two great parties which have been governing France over these last decades have now been displaced,” he said.

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Displaced by what, exactly, is far from clear. But Macron promised it will be better.

“The challenge from this evening on is not to go and vote against whoever,” he said. “The challenge is to decide to break fully with a system which has proven incapable of governing properly our country for 30 years.”

Macron said he was “very much aware of the honor and the responsibility” of leading the country and thanked the other candidates in the race. He alluded to the “deep feeling” about the people’s ability to “overcome its divisions.”

Macron said he would not forget the determination and hours his supporters put into the campaign.

“Never forget these months in which you have been able to … change the course of the country and [show] courage … demanding that it is up to us to pursue this path,” he said. “And tonight I call upon you to gather all of the French together. And I shall always need you.”

Macron, 39, did not mention Le Pen by name and made only the most passing reference to her movement. He offered nothing specific in opposition to it.

“Faced by the threat of nationalists, a president who protects, who transforms and builds, a president who allows those who want to create, innovate, undertake new things, to progress faster,” he said, “a president who helps those who are more fragile, more vulnerable through education, health, work and solidarity.”

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Macron said he had heard voters’ “expectations to a real change, a democratic change, the ecological, economic demands,” and said he would earn their trust.

“The challenge from this evening on is not to go and vote against whoever. The challenge is to decide to break fully with a system which has proven incapable of governing properly our country for 30 years.”

Macron promised a “new transformation” that will have “a new face” and new talents.

“Dear citizens, you have done it. You have brought us here,” he said. “You have shown to us that there is no fatality, there is no fatalisms … You are a face of a new French people.”