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Monday 24 April 2017

"Oui" for the status quo?

Results of the first round by department
     Emmanuel Macron      Marine Le Pen      François Fillon
     Jean-Luc Mélenchon

source
So the first round of the 2017 French presidential election has resulted in a run-off between Emmanuel Macron of En Marche! and Marine Le Pen of the National Front to be held on May 7th.

I am merely a casual observer of French politics, but establishment stooge Emmanuel Macron seems to have it in the bag. As someone who didn't foresee Brexit or Trump, third time lucky is my technical approach to this one.

Not an inspiring choice of candidates but an interesting geographical divide. No doubt the EU establishment will be all over Macron while a Le Pen victory is portrayed as akin to Hitler entering Paris.

Should be interesting though, because political divides appear to be deepening. That's the interesting aspect in my book, the political divide. Are people beginning to realise that the establishment is not their friend?

4 comments:

Demetrius said...

The map looks a little like a map of France at some time in the middle Middle Ages apart from a few bits and pieces. Tradition dies hard, I suspect. Macron has been likened to Jacques Chirac of the 1970's. I once found my self, with family, becoming part of one his Presidential cavalcades in Normandy. It was an interesting experience. Where is Napoleon when the French need him?

wiggiatlarge said...

Are people beginning to realise that the establishment is not their friend?

Maybe but with not enough conviction to overturn the status quo, and that is the problem, Europe including us has been feather bedded against any external parties with a different viewpoint on how things should be managed for far to long, we have become soft.
That final push that tips the balance for the likes of Le Pen, may come to late or not at all to change those problems they and so many of the populations of these countries see and Western society will be changed for good

wiggiatlarge said...

Just a note, it appears that Hollande has come out publicly to back his "protoge" Macron, you would think in a sane world with the appalling track record and public perception of him in France it would be the kiss of death for Macron, but obviously not, despair ..............

A K Haart said...

Demetrius - I'm sure Macron is whatever his owners want him to be. He comes across as a manufactured product.

Wiggia - I'm sure that's a core part of the problem - our softness. We are hardened by experience but if we have had no powerful experiences there is no hardening. Yes Hollande should be the kiss of death but voters may not see it that way. They may vote against the Macron alternative rather than for Macron.