Macron The Next Pres?

[Atheist]

It looks likely. Disappointing that so many French may have decided to abstain rather than to fight the pro-Russian, Frexit quasi-nazi. But it's a fact of life that those brought up on TV voting progs are a tad out of touch with real life. "If I can't be guaranteed a win for my favourite then I'm not going to bother to vote!"

[ichkeria]

Macron 58.2 to Le Pen 41.8

according to exit poll

[ichkeria]

Rather a graceless speech by Le Pen just now

[mushroom25]

// so many French may have decided to abstain //

as was prominently reported this week, when the choice is between cholera and the plague, what incentive is there to do other than abstain?

[jno]

Le Pen: "With more than 43% of the vote, this represents a striking victory." Mmmm.

[ichkeria]

I reject the daft notion that this is "cholera versus the plague"
What nonsense.
Macron of course has his critics but he's been a successful president. managed reforms that have eluded the capabilities of he's predecessors; reduced unemplyment; France's economy is in besster shape than for a long time.
He faced a populist opponent at the time of the same cost of living crisis that effects many countries now, someone with a divisive agenda that would have been disastrous for France's economy and for its position in Europe and the west.
The problem in France now is that Macron's success in forming a new part of the centre, hoovering up the best of talent from ledt and right, has created a political vacuum to either side which more extreme factions are only to able and willing to fill. I'm not sure how that can be dealt with. France needs another couple of sensible and popular candidates to contest the next election and elections.

[ichkeria]

Good result in Slovenia too I think. Jansa loses to Golob

[Atheist]

mushroom; I think that "cholera and the plague" is not really a valid comparison. I think a better comparison would be Cameron or Blair and Hitler or Farage. Neither of the two camps was ideal, but you need to vote for the least disgusting. If you choose not to choose, then you are giving up your right to vote.

[ichkeria]

" I think a better comparison would be Cameron or Blair and Hitler or Farage."

Are you saying Cameron v Blair or Hitler v Farage
Or Cameron v Hitler or Blair v Farage
Or Blair v Hitler or Cameron v Farage?
Blair v Farage comes closest I think and really, that's another no-brainer.

[Atheist]

I notice that Frexiteers have not emerged as winners of th election. I'm not surprised, as I would have thought that even the AB 5C critics would not be all in favour of weakening Europe at the moment when Europe needs to stand united against the Russian threat. Of course, the main Brexit gang are keeping quiet, as they were inclined to admire Putin and hate the EU.

[Atheist]

Ich. What I meant was 'Cameron or Blair' was one option, and 'Hitler or Farage' was the other. That's what I meant. You may well disagree, and that's fair if you think I overstated my case.

[ichkeria]

No Blair v Farage is as close as I can think in this country. Le Pen isn't quite Hitler, while Cameron was certainly no Macron or Blair.

[Atheist]

Ich; I can't discuss on equal terms with you. My instincts tell me that I wish the French would have realised that they should have accepted that neither candidate was their favourite, and then voted for their second favourite. I think that's probably what they did.

[diddlydo]

Marine Le Pen is mad, bad, dangerous and devisive. Macron has many faults but at least he isn't the bumbling buffoon that we're lumbered with.

[andy-hughes]

It looks like the French electorate have faced the same choice that was offered to the US electorate, and the British electorate -

Choose the 'least worst' candidate.

In this case, I believe they have done the right thing - anything would be better than a modern-day Nazi, and as Ich has convincingly pointed out, Macron is far from being a much worse choice in the long run.

I would also suggest that for the Americans Hilary Clinton was far less of a dubious choice than Mr Trump, and it's a very good thing that Mr Trump does not have access to America's nuclear deterrent.

For ourselves, there was obviously no contest whatsoever.

In the case of Mr Corbyn's Labour Party against a brick, it would still have been better to elect the brick, which at least, if it could do no good, could also have the saving grace of doing no harm.

[Khandro]

Stand back for more & more E.U. including a European army (ha-ha), & this little jerk now wetting his pants at the thought that he is going to be the new Napoleon.

Thank God Britain got out in time.

[ichkeria]

“ My instincts tell me that I wish the French would have realised that they should have accepted that neither candidate was their favourite, and then voted for their second favourite”

Not sure that makes sense. In a system where you have a run-off between the top two it’s very likely a huge number of people will be voting for the first second choice or even third etc.
that’s unavoidable.
And obviously that happened here. Macron this time needed to court the left wing vote. Even against a sitting president Le Pen still could not attract enough away from the other candidates to win. It’ll be interesting to see if her party picks up seats in the election.
Macron goes into a second term with a parliamentary majority and i believe that is unique in the fifth republic

[youngmafbog]

No surprise.

A thread that could have been good is turned to a lefty love in.

[youngmafbog]

//But it's a fact of life that those brought up on TV voting progs are a tad out of touch with real life.//

And they are not decent people ?

You really are a horible little arrogant person arent you?

[anneasquith]

It’s good news for France.

[naomi24]

//Of course, the main Brexit gang are keeping quiet, as they were inclined to admire Putin and hate the EU. //

I'm not sure what you mean by that.