Former Finance Minister Macron’s win a triumph of ‘hope over hate’
Just when it seemed that the iconic principles of the French Revolution, Liberty, Equality and Fraternity, that had guided France since 1798 were in danger of being overthrown, the savvy French people (by Macron’s 66 percent to Le Pen’s 34) defeated the forces of hate, fear and racism. Europe heaved a collective sigh of relief after the twin shocks of the stunning Brexit vote and a populist maverick in the White House. The demagogic hate wave seems to have crested, as the French election run-off was its second setback, the first being rout of Islamphobic Geert Wilders in the Dutch elections. But the fascist genie which was put back in the bottle or lamp in 1945 is free again. Despite her failure, Marine Le Pen recorded the highest far right vote ever with eleven million, and is expected to win a hundred seats in Parliament, while the xenophobic Wilder’s Freedom Party won 20 seats out of 150, compared to 33 for the incumbent Prime Minister and ‘winner’ Mark Rutte.
The youngest president of the Fifth Republic faces his next big test in the 2017parliamentary elections. It would require much more than Macron’s charm to force a decisive outcome and thereby ensure his pro-EU, globalisation and liberal immigrant and asylum seeker’s agenda. Though a centrist liberal his past calling of investment banker at Rothschild Bank, which could not have been good for his soul, invited accusations of being ‘business-oriented’. But French voters, adept in tactical voting, cast against their conscience and ideological inclination to keep Le Pen out.
Such negative tactics are not a long term solution. European mainstream parties are dogged by poverty of leadership and corruption scandals, and have failed to deliver. Mass unemployment and stagnant economies have bred ‘anti-establishment anger’ among voters, and on May 7, out of a total of 47 million registered voters, 12 million abstained and 4.2 million spoiled their ballot papers, while turnout was lowest since 1969. Still, for the time being, the spirit of Enlightenment reigns in France.