Political earthquake in France after European elections
I think this deserves it's own thread
Absolutely unexpected snap elections called in France because of the exceptional success of Le Pen party (exit polls only for now) in the European elections
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French President Emmanuel Macron has dissolved the National Assembly and called a snap election after an exit poll predicted his party would suffer a heavy defeat at the hands of the far-right.
Speaking after exit polls put Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally ahead of the governing camps, he said the outcome is "not good result for parties who defend Europe".
Projected results from France put Ms Le Pen's party around 33%, with 31 seats in the incoming European Parliament - more than double the score of Mr Emmanuel Macron's liberals back on 15%.
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weird reaction
I might be missing something but my read is, he is banking on very low turnout being the reason for the results and he is hoping national political elections (which historically draw much higher turnout in France) would yield very different results.
He doesn't want to govern as a lame duck president of a lame duck party, that's not his style.
guy's two years into a five year term afaik
need some frenchies to explain this
People in France block stuff with protests so even if you still have years of electoral mandate, you can't do **** if the people aren't with you.
Hollande, Macron predecessor, stayed in power normally (he ended with single digit approval rates roflmao) and did basically nothing once it was clear he had lost the people approval. His party got annihilated.
In France you usually lose support when governing and viceversa.
In some way he could improve his chances for presidential re-election by giving up on parliament today, letting them govern (with him) for 3 years, and then french people vote in 2027.
If some bad **** happens from now to 2027, le pen couldn't simply blame Macron for it.
France is a weird "semi presidential" polity where the executive can call snap elections but it still needs parliament to do most stuff to
Belgian prime minister just resigned holy ****
i mean clearly i dont understand the terrain of french politics, but getting 33% in a european election is not exactly kim jong-il territory is it
couldnt he be like oh she got 4% more than expected, anyway lets talk about farming policy
i mean clearly i dont understand the terrain of french politics, but getting 33% in a european election is not exactly kim jong-il territory is it
couldnt he be like oh she got 4% more than expected, anyway lets talk about farming policy
The polls were already disastrous, they were hoping for much better results.
They got worse.
Remember Le Pen "theoretically" has no legitimacy, ie plenty of "very serious people" consider her existence in France politics as inadmissible to begin with.
That she got more than double the votes the second party got... For some of them it's like if Trump got close to win new York State
ah maybe this was clear to everyone but me, but these elections he has just called are not for his position as president as i had assumed, but for the parliament
ah maybe this was clear to everyone but me, but these elections he has just called are not for his position as president, but for the parliament
Yes it's two separate elections for two separate powers. The executive is somewhat "superior" to parliament in France although parliament then still has the power of the purse and a lot of other powers
Lucium, do you think this might be an accurate analysis of what Macron is doing?
I do think it is a problem in American politics, and seemingly European too, that educated leftists have bad ideas that aren't workable; and the right wing opposition is often not actually capable of putting together a functional government; so it really is a Sophie's choice of bad outcomes.
What the liberal Western world really need is a class of capable, educated elites that are not married to bad progressive ideas; but because of Chinese cultural revolution style ideological purges by the establishment, such people are not anywhere to be found in govt. And even if they were, they would have to ally and beholden to right wingers with bad right ideas to utilize political power.
Let's say this is the most "pro macron" view possible.
I think he will fail here. At least in the short term. But I admit the "balls" of the move.
But the real game will be in 2027 when he might reap benefits from this choice, if as I said **** happens from now to 2027, he won't be disintegrated by it and he could have a chance again
This is Macron’s last-ditch effort to improve his standing in parliament. With his party unlikely to drop below 15%, he has little to lose, though significant gains are also unlikely.
According to some press sources Macron might declare that he will resign as president if Le Pen gets a majority in parliament
(if it happens it should be today afternoon at the scheduled press conference)
Sure man, i was trying to understand why you mention 15% as if that had anything to do with parliamentary elections in France.
It's about making top2 then he is gambling that everyone not pro le pen will vote for his guys anyway
French radical leftists are rioting in Paris because of election results, as a reminder that radical leftism is fully antidemocratic and absolutely incompatible with civil society (and so should be criminalized as inimical to the survival of the state).
Nonsense. The only reason we have votes is because people were brave enough to break laws.
The Germans are coming (again) and Macron doesn't want to stand behind a Maginot line.
The elite and the people, french perspective
no government yet in France, caretaker (only current affairs) government on since the election, no agreement in sight.
this is how much government doing "big things" is needed in society btw
Funnily enough RN placed third after last turn of legislative elections.
no government yet in France, caretaker (only current affairs) government on since the election, no agreement in sight.
this is how much government doing "big things" is needed in society btw
I don't see how this shows anything, what big things are currentely achieved then?
