“International Political Quarterly” (“IPQ”) says: “President Emmanuel Macron seems to have created his own Waterloo moment.” An ailing French politician tries to land a major conflict.
And: “A man who has won so many ‘unwinnable’ battles, once again believes that he can outwit them all and use his charisma and persuasion to rally the troops behind him and win, as Napoleon did in his last battle in 1815.”
“Politics”: Get rid of “Macronism”.
Politico magazine wrote on Tuesday that the election would mean not just defeat but perhaps the end of “Macronism.” The two dominant forces in French political life in the coming years will be a right, which is radical, nationalist and populist, and a left, which is more fragmented and extreme.
All this has implications for the rest of the world as France not only holds a leading position in the European Union, but also a seat on the UN Security Council and last but not least, military reach as a world power. A victory for the right and the left would once again “reshape Western values and overthrow alliances.”
Perhaps a major power loss for Macron
Although Macron will remain in office until 2027, his political powers are likely to be severely curtailed from Sunday, as he recently announced. In failure, he could continue to shape defense and foreign policy, but would likely lose control of the domestic agenda, such as economic policy, defense, immigration and finance.
Macron is theoretically free to appoint a prime minister. However, he is dependent on securing a majority in the National Assembly. This leads to “cooperation” between the President and the Head of Government from different camps.
Fear of permanent blockage
“Politico” also reads: “The French system is presidential only in name. “Real constitutional power rests almost entirely with the parliament, the prime minister and the government,” says Politico, and if the parliamentary majority belongs to a different political persuasion than the president, they should have a say.
There are now fears that the right-wing populists, the left-green electoral alliance and the government camp could permanently block each other. Against this backdrop, RN party leader Marine Le Pen last week called for Macron’s resignation. That is the only way to avoid political crisis, he said.
Great success opportunity for RN
The RN is given a good chance to become a strong force in the House of Representatives. The combined forces of the left run as the New Popular Front (Nuveau Front populaire, NFP) and may follow. President Macron’s liberal camp will finish third.
In response to the defeat of his liberal forces in the European elections and the landslide victory of the RN, Macron dissolved the National Assembly and announced new elections for the French Chamber of Deputies in two rounds on June 30 and July 7.
Macron warns of civil war
The far-right divides society on security issues by targeting people based on a religion or place of origin, fueling potential civil war, Macron said. At the same time, Macron acknowledged that he was partly to blame for the rise of the RN. “Yes, I take responsibility for not responding quickly and aggressively to constituents’ concerns,” he said.
“Politico” wrote that Macron received no recognition for his successes, but instead received excessive criticism — even hatred — for his failures. However, this is partly his own fault: “He promised to be a revolutionary and different politician, but turned out to be just another mainstream reformer. He made no effort to build a grassroots political movement.
“IPG-Journal”: Lost touch with the concerns of the population
The “Journal for International Politics and Society” (“IPG Journal”) of the SPD-affiliated German Friedrich Ebert Foundation says Macron has failed to win the public over to his proposed solution: “Democratic elite politicians have increasingly lost touch with the people’s deepest concerns. For France, it’s Macron’s dictatorship.” Reflects leadership style to some extent.
The timing in the rest of the international media is similar: Macron gambled heavily by calling a new election. But everything points to this bold gamble not paying off. According to the IPG Journal, even if Macron wins, it will not be business as usual. For democracy to regain public support and trust, it must become labor-friendly and egalitarian. And “IPQ” writes: “For France, Macron’s early elections are a risky move. From a European point of view, taking this risk now is irresponsible.
