Glimmers of hope for democracy. In the first round of the elections for the renewal of the French National Assembly, the turnout was 66%. A record number that instills confidence in the survival of the democratic system. Of this figure, 34% of the votes went to National Rally of the Le Pen-Bardella duo (with the possibility of having between 240 and 270 deputies in the new legislative assembly), 29% at Nouveau Front Populairethe coalition of the main parties of the French left including Jean-Luc Mèlenchon’s La France insoumise, and the remaining 22% to the party of Macron and allies.
The disaster, for the current president, is absolute. A complete debacle, finishing third was unthinkable. His own collaborators admit that they “no longer recognize him”. From the columns of FigaroAlexis Brèzet calls these elections a “French tragedy,” illustrating how Macron actually completely miscalculated, in the mistaken and perhaps arrogant belief that the French would not ultimately vote en masse for the right. This was not the case.
Probably because the same Macron he did not see, or did not want to see, the profound change of the Rassemblement National and its sociology.
If Macronism had as its fundamental objective overcoming the right/left dichotomythe progression of social insecurity and anxiety about the present have brought lustre to her opponent Le Pen, who has abandoned the extremist and divisive tones of the past, speaking a reassuring language and addressing a broader and more “bourgeois” plethora of her consolidated electorate.
But even on the left, they preferred the party of the tenant of the Elysée Mélenchon and his far-left ensemble smelling of anti-Semitism.
It is no coincidence that many illustrious French figures, Jews, have declared that they will vote, perhaps in the second round and with a heavy heart, for Le Pen’s party, founded by a man who had collaborated with the Nazis during the occupation.
Serge Klarsfeld, a well-known “Nazi hunter,” as well as philosopher Alain Finkielkraut, have expressed their support for the RN, considering it preferable to the far left and its inevitable wink at the suburbs where Islamic separatism and hatred against Jews proliferate without stopping. Mèlenchon deniesfirmly denies any accusation of anti-Semitism, but his electorate comes largely from that world and this frightens those who feel they live in a country that is becoming progressively hostile towards Jews.
As confirmation of how the world is going backwards, as some claim, there is the fact that French Jews prefer to vote the far right nationalist that the radical left parties. A short circuit that the vote just concluded has highlighted very well.
If these elections mark once again the end of macronismnow we will have to deal with the numbers, as often happens in a democracy.
The more bitter the defeat, the more difficult it is to admit it. And the more desperate the attempts to take action will be.
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