Macron vows to build ‘stronger France’ during second term as president

[MenInG]

Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen are proposing two very different futures for France, at home and abroad.

As the two candidates prepare to face off in a televised debate on Wednesday ahead of Sunday's vote, what are their rival plans for the next five years?

National priority v complete renewal

When the cost of living became the number one issue of the election, far-right hopeful Marine Le Pen made that the focus of her campaign. But her other big plan is to make social housing, jobs and welfare a "national priority" for French nationals and to fight Islamism. Under the banner Marine, Présidente, she tells her supporters victory has never been so close.

The centrist president is trying to rally voters under the slogan Nous Tous - All of us. And after five years in power, Emmanuel Macron his offer is for "complete renewal", as he tries to attract voters from the left as well as the mainstream right.

Cost of living
Marine Le Pen has promised a raft of measures to cut the cost of living, She wants to scrap income tax for all under-30s, reduce VAT on fuel from 20% to 5.5% and abolish it on 100 other essentials. She wants to get businesses to raise wages by 10%, making the increases free of employer tax contributions, and to push up teachers' salaries by 3% every year for the next five years. She also wants to slash toll fees on motorways by 15% by renationalising them and to privatise public broadcasting by scrapping the TV licence fee of €138 (£115).

Emmanuel Macron says the government has already spent billions of euros capping energy bills and he proposes that employers should be allowed to give staff an untaxed bonus of up to €6,000. He wants to increase teachers' wages too in return for extra responsibilities and he is also prepared to scrap the TV licence fee. Bosses' organisation Medef say his policies are better for growth and jobs, while warning that Ms Le Pen's are unfunded and would lead France into a dead end.

A protester holds a sign that says "Neither Macron or Le Pen" at a demonstration against the rise of the far-right in French politics, on April 16, 2022 in Paris,
IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES
Image caption,
Many voters on the far left are expected not to vote for either candidate
Pensions
Emmanuel Macron wants to pay for much of his programme by raising the pension age from 62 to 65. But his policy has not played well with voters - especially on the left - so he has now indicated it could be raised to 64 instead. "It makes sense that I should be ready to listen," he explained. He has also promised to raise the minimum state pension from €950 to €1,100 (£785-£910).

Marine Le Pen wants to keep the pension age at 62, although anyone who began working at 20 could retire at 60. She said voters would understand her opponent was trying to win over or appease left-wing voters. She wants to raise the minimum state pension to €1,000, less than her opponent.

Immigration and security
Marine Le Pen wants a referendum on immigration, with plans for strict rules for entering France and becoming French. Under a highly controversial proposal called Priorité nationale (national priority), she also wants French nationals to be given housing and social services ahead of foreigners - with 620,00 homes for foreign nationals put on the market for families where at least one parent is French. She was initially in favour of holding a referendum on the death penalty before realising it was "anti-constitutional".

Emmanuel Macron has accused her of an "authoritarian" drift and failing to respect the constitution. He has condemned Ms Le Pen's "nationalist agenda, which is not patriotism". He has promised to free up police and gendarmes from admin tasks to to double the numbers on the street by 2030, with 11 new mobile units and 200 brigades of gendarmes (military police). Marine Le Pen also promises 20,000 new prison places and 7,000 extra police.

Headscarves
Marine Le Pen wants to ban women from wearing the headscarf in public places and fine them for not doing so. She calls the veil a "uniform" imposed by people with a radical vision of Islam. France has Western Europe's biggest Muslim population, and as 69% voted for far-left candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon in the first round, the Muslim vote could play an important part in the second round.

Emmanuel Macron has no plans for change and made clear his opposition to his rival's policy by praising a young woman wearing a hijab who said she was a feminist. "This is the best answer to all the nonsense," he said.

Voting reform
One big question for Marine Le Pen is how she could push through all her reforms if she won. She has few credible options for a government, relying on promises of a government of national unity. Her National Rally has only seven seats in the National Assembly and it is difficult to see her winning a majority in elections in June. The electoral system works against her National Rally party, so she wants to introduce proportional representation (PR) in legislative elections and a seven-year term of office for president. And one of her flagship policies is citizen referendums, which not only bypass the problem of parliament, but show the voters she is consulting them too.

Emmanuel Macron is also campaigning to introduce an element of PR to the parliamentary vote, but says his opponent's plans for referendums indicate that she sees herself as above the constitution and can change the rules.

Europe
Emmanuel Macron has called this election a "referendum on Europe", arguing that Europe protects France from crises and war, accusing his opponent of wanting to leave the EU in a "Frexit" without daring to say so.

Marine Le Pen has moved a long way from her original plan to leave the EU, although the Macron camp believes that is her ultimate plan. "Nobody is against Europe," she said after the first round. And yet in 2012, she was in favour of pulling France out of the EU, a stance which was then dropped that in 2017 and said she wanted to leave the euro instead. "Now she says she wants to stay within the European Union but change it from the inside, to achieve a Europe of sovereign nations," says Sylvie Kaufmann of French newspaper Le Monde.

She has also vowed to halt all co-operation with Germany, including military tank and warplanes projects, preferring to see France as a "big power that counts". An admirer of Brexit, she talks about freeing France from the "straitjacket of Brussels", while denying she harbours hopes of Frexit.

Russia and Nato
Marine Le Pen has been critical of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but her reliance on Russia for bank loans to her party and her friendly relations with Vladimir Putin have not been forgotten. Her campaign team had to deny pulping 1.2m election pamphlets because they featured a photo showing her shaking the Russian leader's hand ahead of the 2017 election. She is also no fan of Nato, proposing that France leaves its "integrated command" while remaining in the organisation, as it was from 1966-2009. After the war she believes there should be a "strategic rapprochement between Nato and Russia".

Emmanuel Macron has played a key diplomatic role in the war, with France holding the presidency of the EU. That initially worked in his favour in the opinion polls. But he acknowledged he was not fully focused on the race for the presidency, holding his first big rally only eight days ahead of the first round.

PROFILES: Who's who in race to run France

GUIDE: How vote works

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Environment
Marine Le Pen is not known for her green views. She does not just want to stop building wind turbines, she wants to start dismantling the ones that already exist. And she wants to end subsidies for renewable energy. She also wants to ban food imports that don't meet French standards and she aims to force school canteens to provide 80% of French agricultural products.

Emmanuel Macron has already secured the backing of the one Green presidential candidate, Yannick Jadot. He wants to make France the first big country to stop using coal and gas and has pledged to build six new nuclear power stations to add to France's energy mix of 75% nuclear. He has called Marine Le Pen's plan to leave renewable energy a "complete aberration".

Health and education
So-called healthcare deserts in rural areas of France have become a big election issue. Emmanuel Macron wants to recruit another 50,000 nurses and carers by 2027. Marine Le Pen blames her rival for the closure of 18,000 hospital beds during his presidency and proposes a halt to further closures and the creation of another 10,000 nursing places.

Mr Macron also wants to focus on vocational education, with a 50% increase in paid work placements. All schools would provide more sporting activities, so that all six to 12-year-olds would do 30 minutes of sport every day from September.

BBC

 

[Pakpak]

21st century Europe, where a Nazi is so widely supported in a major world power. Said Nazi will ban hijabs in public as well. Her father was a famous racist, she's reined in her anti-Semitism as she knows it will be clamped down, rightfully. However her blatant Islamophobia she wears it proudly.

Imagine Yogi as a woman. And you have this woman.

If Pakistan elected a far right xenophobe the Western media would froth at the mouth at levels unseen before but here its all fine because 'democracy'.

For all the bashing UK gets, UK is still levels ahead of Europe.

 

[Jadz]

Both candidates are viewed as too pro-Russia for the US, NATO - France has always advocated a greater independence from the US in terms of military, politics and Intel, and was infuriated when the AUKUS treaty was agreed whereby Australia reneged on its agreement with Macron.

The Five Eyes - the US, UK, New Zealand, Canada, Australia - are seen as the Anglo-Saxon (English-speaking) axis of power which excludes France. This may be one reason Macron has maintained communication with Putin, which resulted in a very public row with the Polish PM.

Macron is right of centre and has shifted further to the right to appease Le Pen's supporters and to steal them from her. I don't see her as being any different, either in substance or in appearance, to Macron - she will be like Trump, all talk and nothing but complicit in the geopolitical games the West has been playing for centuries.

 

[MenInG]

France deserves both of these if their hate of Muslims is something to go by.

 

[silentkiller187]

Four days before France votes on its next president, the two remaining candidates have gone head to head in their only televised debate.

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen has fallen behind Emmanuel Macron in the opinion polls but millions of voters are still undecided.

It did not take long for the two-and-a-half hour clash to burst into life.

The two candidates confronted each other on the cost of living, Russia, climate change and immigration.

Spiralling prices of energy and at the shops have dominated the campaign and immediately took centre stage in the debate, broadcast on the two biggest TV networks as well as the big news channels.

Emmanuel Macron was widely seen as the winner of the 2017 debate, when his rival appeared flustered and underprepared. But this time, Marine Le Pen was ready from the start and far more composed.

Throughout the debate, it was Mr Macron who went on the offensive, appearing more like a challenger than an incumbent, repeatedly interrupting his rival.

Ms Le Pen said 70% of the French people believed their standard of living had fallen over the past five years and she would be the president of civil peace and national brotherhood. "We shouldn't be afraid of the future all the time. We need to give priority to the French in their own country," she said.

Mr Macron said France had known unprecedented crisis, with Covid followed by war in Europe. He had steered France through those challenges and aimed to make France a stronger country, he said. He told viewers Sunday's vote was a "referendum on Europe, on secularism, and a moment of clear choice".

How debate unfolded
After a relatively civil start, the debate, hosted by prominent TV journalists Léa Salamé and Gilles Bouleau, quickly turned combative when the two candidates addressed the biggest for voters.

Cost of living: It is one of Marine Le Pen's strong points and she said from the start that it was a priority: "I will permanently cut VAT on energy. I will also cut taxes, no income tax for under-30s". She accused Mr Macron on letting pension levels fall in real terms too.

Marine Le Pen was put on the backfoot on her relationship with the Kremlin
Mr Macron said his solution was to impose a cap on prices which was "twice as effective as dropping sales tax".

The two candidates quickly became more animated as they disagreed on how to bring down energy prices. Mr Macron repeatedly challenged his opponent's proposals as unworkable. She snapped back: "I want to give the French their money back."

International relations: Russia's war in Ukraine was the second big issue of the night. Emmanuel Macron said Russia was "going down a fatal path" and the role of France and Europe was to provide Ukraine with military equipment and take in refugees.

Ms Le Pen, who has been criticised for her close ties to the Kremlin and for taking a Russian bank loan for her party, warned that giving Ukraine weapons could make France a "co-belligerent". However, she supported her opponent's policy of backing Ukraine and taking in refugees.

At this point Mr Macron went on the offensive, pointing out that she was one of the first political leaders in 2014 to recognise Russia's annexation of Crimea. "You're speaking to your banker when you speak to Russia," he said.

Ms Le Pen said she had taken Russian money as no French bank would lend to her party. When she argued that she had had to borrow money like millions of French people, he countered that the French did not look to Russia for finance.

European Union: Marine Le Pen has changed her policy from leaving the EU to now seeking change from within it. But Mr Macron argued that her idea of a "Europe of nations" would spell the end of the EU and that "you are selling a lie".

She said that in the current EU France was failing to defend its interests and she would stop negotiating trade deals "hurt French producers and farmers".

Mr Macron was pressed on his plans for retirement and pensions
Retirement age and pensions: The debate moved on to another hot-button election topic. Emmanuel Macron has said France needs to raise the pension age from 62 to 65 over nine years, while Ms Le Pen wants to keep it at 62.

Ms Le Pen said his proposal was "absolutely intolerable". He hit back saying she was promising to be more generous with pensioners but did not explain how she would pay for it. She argued his economic record was very poor and ironically referred to an old nickname as "Mozart of finance".

Climate change: Renewable energy is another issue where the two candidates are diametrically opposed and it became one of the most animated points of the debate. The only thing they agree on is building more nuclear power stations.

"You are a climate sceptic, that's pretty obvious," Mr Macron said to his rival. The only Green presidential candidate has urged his voters to back the incumbent president.

However, Marine Le Pen claimed importing goods from thousands of miles away was responsible for climate change and producing locally would help tackle global warming. There was nothing worse than wind turbines, she complained. He countered that her policy of relying on nuclear power to replace fossil fuels was "untenable" and renewables had to be part of the mix. "Wind turbines create jobs," he added.

Digital future: While Emmanuel Macron spoke of France as the biggest country of start-ups in Europe, Marine Le Pen addressed the problems of people who live beyond the big cities, who make up some of her core voters: "It's true people talk about a European Google, but there are those watching us who still have no broadband or internet coverage."

She said the tech sector had created mostly low-cost, precarious jobs. The only way to prosperity was industry, which was in decline, she added. Mr Macron denied that was the case.

Immigration and Islam: Marine Le Pen went on the offensive, promising a referendum on who should stay and who should leave France and condemning what she called "anarchic and massive immigration" that contributed to a sense of insecurity.

She then spoke about another of her key policies, banning the wearing of the hijab in public, arguing that women had to be liberated from "Islamist pressure". Mr Macron objected strongly, saying it wrong to mix Islam with Islamism. Her policy was unworkable and a betrayal of French values: "You would have police running down the street after girls in hijabs and boys wearing the kippah." It was intolerant and she was pushing millions of compatriots out of the public space on account of their religion, he said.

Constitutional change: Another of Marine Le Pen's big policies is for citizens' referendums, which she described as a "democratic renewal" that was rooted in the yellow-vest protests or gilets jaunes, which began early in the Macron presidency. "The main problem after your five-year term is that you have divided the country. We need to rebuild France and bring people together."

One of the big attractions of such referendums for Ms Le Pen is that they would bypass parliament, where she has only a handful of MPs. Mr Macron said they would be unconstitutional.

Significance of debate
Televised confrontations between the top two candidates have been a highlight of French presidential elections for almost five decades.

The TV duels have proved most decisive when the polls are close. In 1974, conservative Valéry Giscard d'Estaing went on to beat Socialist François Mitterrand after performing well in their debate. Mitterrand did better in the rematch in 1981 and won the run-off vote.

This was the first time since then that the same candidates have squared off in two consecutive elections.

The 2017 debate was a disaster for Ms Le Pen and she was trounced in the run-off, winning only a third of the vote.

This time around the race is much closer and her strong performance might win over undecided voters. She halted her campaign on Monday to concentrate on the debate.

The gap in the opinion polls has widened slightly since the first round vote in which the incumbent president won 27.85% and Ms Le Pen came second with 23.15%. But they are still fluctuating wildly, suggesting Mr Macron will secure between 53% and 57% of the vote.

What the candidates stand for
The choice for voters is far clearer than five years ago, when Emmanuel Macron won with very little experience as a politician.

His strict Covid policies alienated many voters and he has been accused of acting as a "president for the rich". He is more popular in the big cities but has secured the support of other mainstream left and right parties for his pro-EU liberal and global outlook.

Marine Le Pen has toned down her nationalist, anti-EU rhetoric during the campaign but as she made clear in the debate her aim remains to revise France's relationship with the European Union. She is traditionally more popular in rural, poorer areas.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-61166601

 

[KingKhanWC]

Macron will win imo.

The Far Right are often used to help the Elites lapdogs, as the liberals will not want them to win so will vote for Macron , the lesser or two evils to them.

Imo both are not much different at all. Le Pen say she wants out of Nato but if she wins , this will soon change.

 

[Technics 1210]

Whatever the outcome, the EU is crumbling!

 

[MenInG]

Marine Le Pen has reiterated her plans to ban head scarves during her latest clash with Emmanuel Macron ahead of a French Presidential election run-off vote.

Ms Le Pen, who has previously vowed to ban the headscarf if she assumed office, confirmed that she stood by the idea.

But she has been warned by current French President Emmanuel Macron that such a decision could spark a “civil war”.

During a televised debate ahead of Sunday’s vote, Ms Le Pen said: "I'm telling it in a very clear manner: I think the headscarf is a uniform imposed by Islamists.

“I think a great proportion of young women who are wearing it have no other choice in reality.”

Mr Macron responded by saying: “What you're saying is very serious. You are going to cause a civil war. I say this sincerely.”

The comments come after a French study found that a ban on veils in schools leads to Muslim girls getting better grades.

The wearing of a veil and other "ostentatious religious signs" were banned in all French schools in 2004.

Earlier in the debate, Mr Macron said Ms Le Pen was unfit to replace him as president because of her ties to Moscow.

He added: “War is raging on the continent.

“Times are very dangerous indeed. Russia is strengthening its offensive, and this will lead to more human disasters.”

Mr Macron is moving further ahead in the opinion polls ahead of the run-off.

But with many people still undecided on who to vote for, Ms Le Pen remains in with a slim chance of claiming victory.

https://www.gbnews.uk/news/marine-l...es-in-fiery-clash-with-emmanuel-macron/277116

 

[MenInG]

Five years after its last presidential election, France today opens its polling booths with the same two candidates on the ballot paper.

Emmanuel Macron, the sitting president, is pitched against Marine Le Pen, leader of the Rassemblement National party.

They are candidates who could hardly bring a greater contrast - Mr Macron from the centre of politics; Ms Le Pen with more radical opinions.

A man whose bedrock of support lies in cities and big towns against a woman who has relied on rural areas and small towns for much of her backing.

Polling stations will open at 8am and close at 7pm, although some centres in big cities are allowed to remain open for another hour until 8pm.

Voting has been held already in France's overseas territories, while polling stations have also been set up in other countries with significant French populations.

French election: Emmanuel Macron's rally like a royal visit, while supporters of far-right leader chant 'president Marine'

In the UK, there are 16 of them - six in London, six in the rest of England, three in Scotland and one in Northern Ireland.

After the clock ticks past 8pm in France (7pm in the UK), exit polls will be released and an official preliminary estimate will follow shortly afterwards, based on early counts.

Beyond that, new information will be released periodically, updating the overall result. A so-called "definitive" result will not emerge until Monday - although the identity of the winner may, of course, become apparent before then.

Mr Macron and Ms Le Pen emerged as the frontrunners after the first round of voting two weeks ago, when French voters were asked to choose between a field of 12 candidates.

Since then, they have spent a fortnight campaigning across the country on a range of topics, although a great deal of focus has been placed by both candidates on how France can best deal with the rising cost of living.

There has also been a significant focus on foreign affairs, on immigration and on social cohesion. In all those areas, there have been notable differences between Mr Macron and Ms Le Pen.

The two only clashed publicly on one occasion, when they met head-to-head in a televised debate that was watched by 15.6 million people.

That was the lowest figure ever recorded for a live French presidential election debate, but still represents a far greater audience than the equivalent debates staged in the United Kingdom.

A great deal of attention will be placed on the turnout this time around, with plenty of speculation that voters will stay away because they don't particularly like either candidate.

Others say they feel an obligation to attend the polling station, but will simply leave their ballot paper blank - a so-called white vote.

And then there is the question of what will happen to the more than 20 million people who backed the socialist candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon in the first round, when he came third.

Will they endorse the remaining radical, Ms Le Pen, or choose instead to back the president, despite the familiar claims that he has done too much to help the wealthy rather than the economically deprived?

Mr Macron will vote near his home in the northern seaside town of Le Touquet before heading to Paris.

Ms Le Pen will also cast her ballot in northern France, at Henin-Beaumont, before moving towards the capital to hear the results.

She and her team will be based at a venue called Pavillon d'Armenonville, at the edge of the Bois de Boulogne. Mr Macron's team are creating their own setting on the Champ-de-Mars, close to the Eiffel Tower.

Ms Le Pen and Mr Macron are experienced, time-worn politicians, but their views on what to do with the presidency are very different. They have both been planning for this election, preparing for this decisive day and they both want to win, desperately.

But only one can. By the time Sunday ticks into Monday, one of them will have been given a five-year mandate to run this wealthy, powerful and influential country. And the other one will be rueing a missed chance, and wondering if their political career has come to an end.

SKY

 

[Azzurri]

Eric Zemmour And Melenchon were the only one who could challenge Macron in the last round. Now it’s gonna be an easy win for macron against Le pen

 

[James]

Two of the worst candidates ever.

France is a fascinating and a beautiful country in terms of its geography, food, history, culture and architecture, but on a political and ideological level it is a rude and racist cesspit.

Macron will cling on to power.

 

[90MPH]

Le Pen is literally a fascist disguising herself by wearing a suit.

Let’s not kid ourselves she would be an absolute disaster not just for France especially the Muslim minority community who she constantly demonises but she will cause havoc in Europe as well because it will become a lightning rod for other closet fascists to become more mobilised.

As for Macron he’s been a massive a disappointment for the average French citerzen because he didn’t deliver the economic promises he made 5 years ago.
That’s where voters become disillusioned and disinterested in politics when you don’t deliver. When millions decide to sit at home it always gives a chance for the fascist to get into power.

That being said I think those that will vote especially in the big cities know Le Pen is going to be catastrophic so I don’t see her winning.

You always vote for the neoliberal over the fascist. Shouldn’t be a hard choice for the informed.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

The left seemed to split their vote across several candidates.

We could have had a good contesr between a left winger and macron.

 

[MenInG]

Emmanuel Macron will become the first French president in 20 years to win a second term after an official vote projection suggested he has seen off the challenge from Marine Le Pen.

The projected result from Ipsos saw Mr Macron get 58.2% of the votes compared with Ms Le Pen's 41.8%.

Five years ago, Mr Macron won a sweeping victory to become France's youngest president at 39.

The margin is expected to be way smaller this time: Polling agencies Opinionway, Harris and Ifop projected that Macron would win between 57% and 58.5% of the vote, with Ms Le Pen getting between 41.5% and 43%.

Cheers erupted at the foot of the Eiffel Tower where supporters of the president celebrated his re-election.

Boos and whistles broke out at the campaign party of his challenger before she conceded defeat.

"Tonight's result is in itself an earth-shattering victory (for us)," she told her supporters.

"I fear that the five-year term that is about to begin will not break with the brutal methods of the previous one.

"In order to avoid the monopolisation of power by a few, more than ever I will pursue my commitment to France and the French people with the energy, perseverance and affection that you know me for."

Sky's Ali Fortescue described the mood in the Le Pen camp as "subdued" with many fearing this was her last chance to become president.

European Council President Charles Michel, as well as the prime ministers of Belgium and Luxembourg, were among the first European leaders to congratulate Mr Macron.

"Bravo Emmanuel," Mr Michel wrote on Twitter.

"In this turbulent period, we need a solid Europe and a France totally committed to a more sovereign and more strategic European Union."

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted: "Congratulations to @EmmanuelMacron on your re-election as President of France.

"France is one of our closest and most important allies. I look forward to continuing to work together on the issues which matter most to our two countries and to the world."

The pair emerged as the frontrunners after the first round of voting a fortnight ago, when the country was asked to choose between a field of 12 candidates.

Since then, they have spent two weeks campaigning on a range of topics, although a great deal of focus has been placed by both candidates on how France can best deal with the rising cost of living.

There has also been a significant focus on foreign affairs, immigration and on social cohesion.

Many of those who chose Mr Macron are believed to have done so to keep out Ms Le Pen.

Controversial policies such as banning the Muslim headscarf in public and her ties to Russia were seen as major factors.

However, the far-right candidate's support in France has grown during this campaign to her highest level ever - although it appears it might not have been enough.

SKY

 

[MenInG]

Emmanuel Macron has become the first French president in 20 years to win a second term after comfortably beating far-right challenger Marine Le Pen.

The final result announced by the Interior Ministry saw Mr Macron get 58.54% of the votes compared with Ms Le Pen's 41.46%.

Five years ago, Mr Macron won a sweeping victory to become France's youngest president at 39.

Cheers erupted at the foot of the Eiffel Tower where supporters of the president celebrated his re-election.

 

[gani999]

The left seemed to split their vote across several candidates.

We could have had a good contesr between a left winger and macron.

The right did that too. They split their vote between Le Pen, Zemmour and Pecresse.

One confusing election this has been, but in the end it was an expected outcome. Macron is the one who is least hated among all.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

The right did that too. They split their vote between Le Pen, Zemmour and Pecresse.

One confusing election this has been, but in the end it was an expected outcome. Macron is the one who is least hated among all.

Confusing indeed.

I didn't even pay attention to the other right wingers as I was under the assumption that they were minor compared to Le Pen, but wow those numbers make some grim reading. The far right did exceptionally well in that first round.

 

[Sidilicious]

The right did that too. They split their vote between Le Pen, Zemmour and Pecresse.

One confusing election this has been, but in the end it was an expected outcome. Macron is the one who is least hated among all.

The weird part is that Melenchon is also a strong eurosceptic. I would have expected the result to be much closer had Melenchon beaten Le Pen.

I would bet a significant number of hard right / Le Pen voters would have voted for Melenchon rather than Macron. Most Melenchon voters did not vote for Le Pen.

Macron remaining in power and for France to remain in the EU, this was the only way to happen. Macron vs Le Pen.

Macron has 5 years to hope that the economy improves and that LR or PS gain some traction to get rid of euro-scepticism. Though not sure whether that’ll happen.

 

[Saj]

Scary just how much support Le Pen has received.

Getting to the stage that many immigrants in France must be worried about the future.

 

[topspin]

The right did that too. They split their vote between Le Pen, Zemmour and Pecresse.

One confusing election this has been, but in the end it was an expected outcome. Macron is the one who is least hated among all.

Who did you vote for?

 

[Sidilicious]

Scary just how much support Le Pen has received.

Getting to the stage that many immigrants in France must be worried about the future.

You can’t look at that second round votes and make a conclusion on the support. The second round is voting for whom you want to avoid. Socialist voters have been fed up of Macron and are in such a state that some of them are just hoping for some change.

The first round votes reflects the reality. Altogether far right parties obtained about 28% of all votes in the first round.

Given that UKIP received 14% of the votes in 2015 in an FFP system, I reckon BNP and UKIP would easily get to 25% in a system like France.

Do remember that in FFP, people are aware that any vote for UKIP was a wasted vote. Ie they would never get enough votes to even get one seat. In such a system voters who might have wanted to vote for a party outside the 3 main stream parties (Green, UKIP, monster raving looney party) won’t do because it’s a wasted vote. They hold their nose and either vote for tories or labour.

Another good measure is the number of far right ballots cast in the EU elections. Again UK and France are not far off each other

 

[gani999]

Who did you vote for?

Macron in both rounds. Although I was quite inclined towards Pecresse in the first round.

 

[topspin]

Macron in both rounds. Although I was quite inclined towards Pecresse in the first round.

I saw from the maps the cities were pro-Macron and outside the cities in the North and South-East were pro-Le Pen.

 

[Hassaan HS]

France’s Macron sworn in for second term as president

Emmanuel Macron has been sworn in for his second term as France’s president at a ceremony at the Elysee Palace, followed by the firing of canons at the Invalides Gardens.

In a country where presidents rarely get re-elected, Macron won 58.5 percent of the votes in the second round in April against the far-right’s Marine Le Pen, despite strong opposition to his pro-business policies and a proposal to raise the retirement age.In a short speech on Saturday, he spoke of the need to innovate at a time of unprecedented challenges for the world and for France, and said his second term would be “new” and not merely a continuation of the first.

“We need to invent a new method together, far from tired traditions and routines, with which we can build a new productive, social and ecological contract,” he said, promising to act with “respect” and “consideration”.

Among the 500 guests present were former presidents Francois Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy, former prime ministers Edouard Philippe, Manuel Valls, Alain Juppe and Jean-Pierre Raffarin, as well as religious leaders and other state figures.

Macron faces a daunting agenda of implementing the reforms he promised when he came to power as France’s youngest-ever president in 2017, as well as dealing with the Russian war in Ukraine.

He is also indicating a more inclusive and understanding style of ruling after his first term saw critics complain the former investment banker had abrasive and arrogant methods.

French journalist Pierre Haski said the inauguration was a relatively “humble” and low-key event.

“He has been trying to portray himself as a humble, new president for a second mandate, who will act on the crises [France is facing]; whether the war on Ukraine, the pandemic, climate change, and also the domestic social and democratic challenges he is facing,” he told Al Jazeera.

Haski said one of the biggest domestic challenges Macron will face is rising inflation amid the fallout of the war in Ukraine.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022...in-for-second-term-as-president?sf164431789=1

 

[Firebat]

France elections: Political uncertainty as Macron party slumps

France's centrist government is desperately trying to avoid political paralysis after it lost its majority in the National Assembly.

Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne has spoken of an unprecedented situation and commentators have warned of France becoming ungovernable.

President Emmanuel Macron's team now face two powerful opposition groups.

And neither Jean-Luc Mélenchon's left-green alliance nor Marine Le Pen's far right are keen to work with him.

Mr Macron will also have to replace three ministers who lost their seats in Sunday's vote, and the prime minister's future looks increasingly under threat.

The president's allies came out in force after Sunday's election setback, widely described by commentators as a slap in the face from voters. The aim is to find a "working majority", either a coalition or by forging alliances with other MPs on a case-by-case basis.

"We are going to form a majority very quickly so it becomes absolute in the National Assembly," promised Olivier Véran, the minister in charge of parliamentary relations. Government spokeswoman Olivia Grégoire extended a hand to "all those who want us to move the country forward".

Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61863170

 

[James]

<b>Macron congratulates Argentina, lauds France’s ‘thrilling’ campaign</b>

French President Emmanuel Macron has praised his country’s side despite their loss to Argentina and offered his congratulations to the new world champions.

“Congratulations to the French team for its journey and its combativeness in this World Cup. You have thrilled the nation and supporters around the world,” Macron, who attended the final at Lusail Stadium, tweeted.

“Congratulations to Argentina for their victory,” he added.

 

[daytrader]

Hundreds of thousands to continue strikes and protests in France
Fears of more violent clashes with police as demonstrations against Macron’s unpopular pensions policy to carry on

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to take part in street protests and strikes across France on Tuesday amid fears of violent clashes with police, as demonstrations continue over Emmanuel Macron’s use of constitutional executive powers to push through an unpopular raise of the pension age.

The protest movement against raising the age from 62 to 64 is the biggest domestic crisis of Macron’s second term, with the strikes on Tuesday expected to affect refineries, bin collections, rail transport, air travel and schools. Authorities in Paris and several cities are braced for clashes between police and protesters.

The crisis has intensified because of controversy over policing tactics, with lawyers complaining of arbitrary arrests, injuries and heavy-handedness during crowd control.

A 30-year-old man was fighting for his life in a coma on Monday after anti-government feeling spread beyond the issue of pensions to environmental demonstrations at the weekend in the west of France – spurred by the impact of new water storage facilities for crop irrigation.

...
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/28/strikes-protests-france-macron-pensions-clashes

 

[MenInG]

French President Emmanuel Macron has signed into law his government's highly unpopular pension reforms, which raise the state pension age from 62 to 64.

It happened hours after France's top constitutional body cleared the change.

The Constitutional Council rejected opposition calls for a referendum - but it also struck out some aspects of the reforms, citing legal flaws.

Following the council's ruling, protesters set fires across Paris and 112 people were arrested.

Twelve days of demonstrations have been held against the reforms since January.

Unions have vowed to continue opposing the reforms, and called on workers across France to return to the streets on 1 May.

President Macron argues the reforms are essential to prevent the pension system collapsing. In March, the government used a special constitutional power to force through the changes without a vote.

He signed the reforms into law in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The Labour Minister Olivier Dussopt has said he expects the reforms to come into effect by the start of September.

Bbc

 

[MenInG]

Several nations voiced concern at the United Nations Monday over police violence, including against protesters, in France, as the country headed into another day of mass demonstrations.

Attacks on migrants, racial profiling and religious intolerance were also raised during the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) – which all 193 UN countries must undergo every four years.

France must "take measures to, in a transparent manner, address allegations regarding excessive use of force by police and gendarmerie against protestors during demonstrations," Sweden's representative told the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Other countries raised similar concerns, including Denmark, Liechtenstein and Norway, but also Russia, Venezuela and Iran – three countries that themselves regularly face accusations of police violence and other serious and widespread human rights violations.

"We are concerned about the harsh and sometimes violent measures aimed at dispersing peaceful citizens," Russia's representative Kristina Sukacheva, told the council.

The criticism came as France braced for up to 1.5 million protesters to fill its streets to mark the May 1 workers day, even as President Emmanuel Macron tries to steer the country on from a divisive pension law that has sparked anger, pan-bashing and social unrest.

It echoed growing outcry in France of the police for disproportionate use of force in dealing with the crowds, amid the months of protests over the move to raise France's pension age from 62 to 64.

During Monday's review, several countries including the United States and China called on France to do more to battle racial and religious discrimination.

US representative Kelly Billingsley said her country urged Paris to "expand efforts to counter crimes and threats of violence motivated by religious hatred such as antisemitism and anti-Muslim hate, including cases of harassment, vandalism, and assault."

The Chinese representative decried "a rise of racism and xenophobia" in France, urging it to "stop … measures that violate rights of migrants".

Brazil and Japan decried "racial profiling by security forces".

Sabrine Balim, a judicial advisor with the French interior ministry, told the council the use of force was "strictly supervised, controlled, and in the case of erroneous use, sanctioned."

She also stressed that "France condemns any form of racial profiling."

(AFP)

 

[daytrader]

At least 108 police injured and 291 held in May Day protests in cities across France
Teargas fired amid clashes as unions turn traditional marches into anti-government protest against pension reform

French police fired teargas and clashed with demonstrators in Paris and other cities on Monday after trade unions transformed their traditional Labour Day marches into anti-government demonstrations against the rise in the retirement age.

At least 108 police were wounded and 291 people detained across France as violence erupted in several cities on the sidelines of the main union-led marches, the interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, said. In Paris, 25 police were injured and 111 people were detained. One police officer suffered serious burns to his hands and face after being hit by a petrol bomb, he said.

Darmanin condemned protesters he described as being from the far-left, known as “black blocs”, saying they numbered around 2,000 in Paris and another 1,000 in the southeastern city of Lyon. He urged that “those who attacked the police and public property be severely punished”.

The prime minister, Élisabeth Borne, praised the earlier marches and said the responsible attitude shown earlier made the violence “all the more unacceptable”.

In Paris, the trade union-led demonstration began peacefully with many families joining in, holding banners calling for social justice and demanding Macron resign or withdraw his law to raise the minimum eligible pension age from 62 to 64.

...
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...on-may-day-protesters-in-cities-across-france

 

[hassan918]

Gabriel Attal: Macron's pick for PM is France's youngest at 34​

Gabriel Attal has been named France's next prime minister, as Emmanuel Macron aims to revive his presidency with a new government.

At 34, he is the youngest PM in modern French history, outranking even Socialist Laurent Fabius who was 37 when he was appointed by François Mitterrand in 1984.

Mr Attal replaces Élisabeth Borne, who resigned after 20 months in office.

Throughout that time she struggled with a lack of a majority in parliament.

Gabriel Attal, who is currently education minister, certainly makes an eye-catching appointment.

He will now have the task of leading the French government into important European Parliament elections in June.

His rise has been rapid. Ten years ago he was an obscure adviser in the health ministry, and a card-carrying member of the Socialists.

He will also be the first openly gay occupant of Hôtel Matignon. He has a civil partnership with another Macron whizz-kid, the MEP Stéphane Sejourné.

Welcoming him to his new role, President Macron wrote on social media: "I know I can count on your energy and your commitment to implement the project of revitalisation and regeneration that I announced."

Source: BBC