Emmanuel Macron’s Win Offers Him a Chance to Be Great
AtlanticDec 27, 2021
The Facts
For the second time in 5 years, Emmanuel Macron defeated Marine Le Pen in the second round of France's presidential election on Sunday. He secured 58.55% of the votes against 41.45% for Le Pen, according to final figures released on Monday.
That compares with 66.1% of the vote for Macron against 33.9% for Le Pen when the two first squared off in 2017.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
As Macron himself conceded, France is a divided country and many people only voted for him to keep far-right Marine Le Pen out of power. He's the first to admit he has challenges in his next term, but is committed to being everybody's president and governing in the best interests of the country. The EU, meanwhile, is delighted and can breathe a sigh of relief.
Establishment-critical narrative
While Macron may have won, France's record-breaking abstention rates demonstrate that its population are overwhelmingly rejecting the policies of the elite. Macron may have been able to suppress the vast "yellow vests" protest movement prior to the election, but much of the economic hardship and social discontent that underlay it still remains.