First published: Prospectmagazine.co.uk, 7/02/2017
Macronomics is “in tune with what a modern European economy needs”—Le Pen is not
On Sunday, in front of a crowd of about 3,000 supporters in Lyon, Front National leader Marine Le Pen formally launched her “France First” presidential campaign. On the previous day in the same city, Emmanuelle Macron had held a rally in front of two-three times as many people. Formerly of the Socialist Party, Macron is now more closely identified with his own organisation En Marche!, having announced that he will run as an independent. These two look like the frontrunners in the French presidential race: in the run-off on 7th May, they will probably go head-to-head.
There is no question that this election will be as significant to France and to Europe as the EU referendum was to the UK and Europe, and the election of Donald Trump was to the United States and the world.
Interestingly, whoever wins looks set to have a major task building a parliamentary majority for whatever programme they want to pursue. The Front National currently has two members in the 577-seat National Assembly, subject to the next legislative elections in June, while Macron currently has no party, let alone any MPs….Read more:
