Macron was re-elected, and the United States and the West breathed a sigh of relief, but this is only the beginning of the difficulties...
Written by: Qi Xu
Source: Deep Sea Zone
WeChat platform editor: Zhou Yue
Today's France is not the Same France as it was 5 years ago, and the soaring prices and the 41.8% vote of Marina Le Pen, the candidate of the far-right "National Alliance", are enough to prove the challenges macron will face in the future.
With 58.2% of the vote, Macron won and began another 5-year term. He called for unity, vowing to make France more independent and Europe stronger.
This result made the United States and the West breathe a sigh of relief and deeply "relieved". After all, it was not finally the "undisguised supporter of Putin" Marina Le Pen who came to power.
However, the Current France is not the France it was 5 years ago, and the soaring prices and the 41.8% vote of Marina Le Pen, the candidate of the far-right "National Alliance", are enough to prove the challenges macron will face in the future.
French President Emmanuel Macron celebrates with supporters in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Source: The Associated Press
Expected wins and losses
Macron would win, which would have been expected.
At 8 p.m. local time on the 24th, the sky in Paris was still bright. The Champ de Mars at the foot of the Eiffel Tower is Macron's "battlefield" this time, with supporters looking to the big screens on the scene, counting down the numbers and waving the French flag and the EU flag. When the big screen showed the result of Macron's victory in the second round of voting, people cheered.
"I thank the French who chose to trust me in the first and second rounds of voting." In the Champ de Mars at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, Macron thanked supporters waving The French and Eu flags.
The French election has been described by Western public opinion as Macron's "European war" with "Eurosceptics" and "undisguised Supporters of Putin" Marina Le Pen.
The 58.2 percent vote made Macron the first French president to win re-election since Chirac in 2002.
This result also makes the Western world feel deeply "relieved". They make no secret of their inner joy: "The United States, Europe and France themselves can breathe a sigh of relief" "The victory of Emmanuel Macron offered him an opportunity to become a great man"...
But Macron and the Western world should also know that this time he didn't win the beauty five years ago.
The 28 percent voter abstention rate was the highest in 50 years; the approval rating fell from 66.1 percent five years ago to 58.2 percent now; and rival Marina Le Pen hit an all-time high with more than 12 million votes and an spending rate of 41.8 percent.
In the face of tears swirling in his eyes, the defeated Le Pen encouraged: "The result of the second round of voting is already a brilliant success in itself. ”
In the face of the high inflation rate and the cost of living, it can be said that Macron also "lost" to Le Pen in a sense, and all this is expected, and it is a fact that Macron cannot ignore.
Pascal Paulón, a 56-year-old French civil servant, lives in the northwestern town of Le Mans. This time, he voted for Le Pen. "Frankly, I was disappointed. France has been operating poorly for years, Macron hasn't done anything for the middle class, and we're growing a gap with the rich. In the eyes of some French voters who are dissatisfied with Macron, even if Macron took off his suit and shoes before the election, put on a loose casual sweatshirt and sneakers, trying to make himself more friendly, this dress is still a bit contrary to his elite temperament.
Opponents clashed with the police. Image source: thetelegram
The first challenge was in June
Five years ago, macron appeared as a political upstart under the slogan of a new reform, "non-left, not right", and became a dark horse killed in the general election. This time, in the face of the menacing opponent Le Pen, he once seemed very determined, trying to avoid showing the hole card prematurely.
Ding Chun, director of the Center for European Studies at Fudan University, pointed out that being highly vigilant against the extreme right forces and taking a relatively left-leaning position is the background of France and one of the reasons why Macron is so firm about this election. What's more, running to mediate the Russian-Ukrainian crisis and showing the pursuit of strategic autonomy in France and Europe is also his plus.
French media commented that in the past five years, Macron's policy of phasing out housing taxes has received a more positive response in terms of household purchasing power, and the unemployment rate has also improved during Macron's first term, once showing the best data since the 2008 economic crisis. France's deficit also remained below 3% of GDP in 2019.
"The economy is not bad, but the people's livelihood problems have been criticized." Ding Chun said.
The COVID-19 pandemic has shattered everything, and the spillover effects of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict have had a huge impact on the livelihood of the French people, with prices rising sharply in France and people's purchasing power falling sharply.
Marina Le Pen and Putin (top); Macron and Putin (bottom). Image source: GJ
On the contrary, it was her opponent, Marina Le Pen, who actively responded to the people's livelihood issues that the French people are most concerned about in this election.
Because of the pro-Russian and withdrawal from NATO views, and because there are many precedents such as former US President Trump and the British "Brexit", it is doomed to Marina Le Pen to win the current French election. Dante noted that Marina Le Pen is no longer the most right-wing candidate in France. In this round of elections, it is clear that in addition to the more right-wing Zemoor as a foil, Le Pen is also trying to remove the "far right" label from himself.
"I know some French people voted for me today, not to support my ideas, but to stop the ideas of the far right." Macron wants to be "no longer a candidate for one camp, but the president of all Frenchmen".
Ding Chun pointed out that Macron's victory and Le Pen's defeat mean that in the face of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, there will be no subversive gap in Europe. Next, Macron may govern more from the perspective of France, the European Union itself and strategic autonomy to mediate the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
But the election is over, and the constraints remain. Can Macron become president of all French in the next 5 years? The first test was in June.
Despite becoming a president directly elected by voters, macron's ideas will still need to be voted on by the National Assembly. Five years ago, he led the "Republican Forward Party" to the majority of the National Assembly with the slogan of reform, and this time the situation changed dramatically.
"We failed, but we were motivated. Our next goal, of course, is the National Assembly elections, and we are happy to keep fighting! Le Pen's supporters said.
And those who want to storm the National Assembly elections are Mélang-sur-Merlin, the far-left candidate for the far-left, whose support is third. "Don't give up, act decisively and on a large scale. Democracy gives us new opportunities for change, and the third round of elections (legislative elections) begins tonight. Another world is still possible. Mérons shouted to supporters.
Under the double attack of far-right and far-left parties with rising votes, how will Macron and his "Republic Forward Party", who are saddled with people's expectations for people's livelihood issues, behave? June is clear.
*Disclaimer: This article only represents the personal views of the author and does not represent the position of this official account
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