A starter including a double contact electromagnetic contactor (10) having an electrically controllable micro-actuator of the micro-solenoid type and an associated electronic control device (ECC). The electronic control device includes a first transistor commutation (T1, T2, CZ2, RC1, RC3, SL) to control the excitation of a pull-in winding (La) of the contactor and a second transistor commutation (T3, CZ2, RC2) to control the excitation of the micro-actuator. The second transistor commutation controls the excitation of the micro-actuator (MS) for a predetermined duration after activation of the electronic control device.