French elections: First Round Open Thread | 37 comments (37 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: French elections: First Round Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

First estimates on French TV at 20:00.

Macron 23.7%
Le Pen 21.7%

Fillon & Mélenchon tied at 19.5%. Hamon at 6.5%.

by Bernard on Sun Apr 23rd, 2017 at 06:02:58 PM EST

Welcome to the rest of Europe France! (4.00 / 3)

At long last, the third way reaches France, with an imploded social democratic party and voters having the choice of propping up reform marketistas or frothing rabid populists. Just lovely.

An advice from the frontline: stock up on painkillers. It's going to get worse.

by Bjinse on Sun Apr 23rd, 2017 at 07:18:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Welcome to the rest of Europe France! (none / 1)

Suppose Macron wins. What will happen in five years if Macron turns out another lame duck? This has got the potential to propel Le Pen over the finish line.

Or France actually experiences an actual economic upswing (they come and go, no one knows why). Macron could claim credit. But then again Trump followed Obama...

_{Schengen is toast!}

by epochepoque on Sun Apr 23rd, 2017 at 08:36:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Welcome to the rest of Europe France! (none / 1)

True enough, but in France, the popular vote winner gets elected president. Trump is there in part thanks to the electoral college.

by Bernard on Sun Apr 23rd, 2017 at 08:46:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Welcome to the rest of Europe France! (4.00 / 3)

As for the other question, much will depend on who wins the legislatives.
But admittedly, I do wonder how a country moves on from someone elected on personal exaltation, without stating a political direction, spending the campaign saying he agrees with everyone...

If the only possible opposition is extreme (Melenchon and Hamon are not, but are portrayed as such) then it usually benefits the right-wing version, since medias overplay terrorism and understate social unfairness. And he is bound to disappoint.

Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed. Gandhi

by Cyrille (cyrillev domain yahoo.fr) on Sun Apr 23rd, 2017 at 08:55:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Welcome to the rest of Europe France! (none / 1)

Sarkozy's plan is to prep the LR party to win a majority of seats in June and rule the country regardless of who is president.

by Bernard on Mon Apr 24th, 2017 at 06:17:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Welcome to the rest of Europe France! (none / 1)

Yes - I did fear we would end up with the worst of both worlds.
And Macron would not have much to disagree with Sarkozy, so they should find the arrangement quite palatable...

The silver lining would be that the Right would probably own the discontent 5 years later.

Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed. Gandhi

by Cyrille (cyrillev domain yahoo.fr) on Mon Apr 24th, 2017 at 09:24:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]

French elections: First Round Open Thread | 37 comments (37 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Top Diaries

Day of reckoning approaches

PM May @BBC: My Deal or No Deal

Hungary and Poland: Rogue states threatening the EU?

Belgium stands up for freedom of speech in Spain

The EU acts against Hungary

Swedish elections today

Brexit Negotiations Ending In Divorce Talks

Europe's Four Freedoms - [Update]

Recent Diaries

Caesar Trump: Building His Enduring Fort In Poland

Day of reckoning approaches

Money Talks ... The Arab World

Fucking Israelis Stirring Up Big Trouble

Belgium stands up for freedom of speech in Spain

PM May @BBC: My Deal or No Deal

Syrian Civil War - Endgame In Idlib? [Update]

Hungary and Poland: Rogue states threatening the EU?

The EU acts against Hungary

Europe's Four Freedoms - [Update]

Brexit Negotiations Ending In Divorce Talks

Dutch Gov't Admits Support for Salafist Jihadists in Syria

We Need to Talk

Infotech Events Around Cambridge, MA - September 10 - 25

Swedish elections today

Theresa May: Dead Women Walking?

Trump the Bullshitter

First Wind, Solar, Battery Utility Scale Energy Installation: ...

Went Missing In Norway

Can a no deal Brexit be a good thing?

Occasional Series