"Critical" Election in France

[Virgil Showlion]

Election results for the first round of voting will be in later today. Then it will be a run-off between the two most popular contenders in early May.

The election is being hailed as "critical" since it pits four opponents with a broad spectrum of viewpoints against each other. It's being treated as a referendum on the direction France wants to go.

The two major issues are (naturally) immigration and EU membership. The far left (Emmanuel Macron) likes immigrants and wants to stay in the EU. The far right (Marie Le Pen) dislikes immigrants (especially those hailing from Northern Africa and the Middle East) and is sick of the EU. There are also two more "centrist" candidates, one right-leaning (François Fillon), one left-leaning (Jean-Luc Mélenchon).

Personally I don't see this election as being as "critical" as the pundits are making out. The right-wing nationalist movement in France has grown considerably over the past two years. This election happens to be a snapshot of where the balance is now, with the populist movement not having gained enough traction yet to overtake the entrenched EU-centric bloc (my prediction).

But it's the trends that will ultimately determine the course of the nation. As most of you know, France is being overrun by Islam in real time, for better or for worse. If Mr. Macron gets in as I predict, I can assure you the populists won't be hurting for support in the coming years.

If you can find news coverage of the election on TV, tune in and behold the slow death of a society.

ETA: The election results are now in: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/04/23/french-election-live-results-exit-polls/

[tallguy]

Why does everywhere else I read describe Macron as the centrist candidate?  And why would the markets have rallied so much in anticipation of his election if he were indeed far-left?    

[souldoubt]

The results were in yesterday.  I believe compared to Le Pen Macron is more centrist as Le Pen favors an EU exit.  The markets rallied because Macron is predicted to win in the run off election which in theory means France won't be trying to leave the EU where as Le Pen would push for that.  France leaving the EU would most likely be a death sentence for the EU so the markets are responding favorably assuming that isn't going to happen.  As we've seen in recent US elections though what people predict and what happens aren't always the same.

[mmhmm]

Apr 24, 2017 12:22:49 GMT -5 tallguy said:

Why does everywhere else I read describe Macron as the centrist candidate?  And why would the markets have rallied so much in anticipation of his election if he were indeed far-left?    

As I understand it, it's Melenchon who is far left and Macron who is centrist. Perhaps Virgil just got them mixed up.

[tallguy]

That is my understanding too.  

What does it matter?  Starts with "M", ends with "on" and has a few other letters in the middle.  Close enough either way, right?    

[Virgil Showlion]

Perhaps I am confusing them.

In that case, Emmanuel Macron is the left-center candidate and Jean-Luc Mélenchon is the far left candidate.

Close enough.

[Shooby]

Frexit!!  lol

[Virgil Showlion]

Apr 24, 2017 20:35:55 GMT -5 Shooby said:

Frexit!!  lol

What so funny about that?

[dondub]

She doesn't know.