The incumbent head of state achieved a slightly bigger victory than expected. But this score does not mean that more than half of the French support him. A large part of them especially wanted to keep Marine Le Pen outside the Élysée Palace. The left-wing voters who put a bill in the bus for Emmanuel Macron often did so with great reluctance. Moreover, only 72 percent of the voters showed up.
The real support for Macron can be read from his score in the first round: 28 percent. This gave him 5 percentage points more than in 2017. He owes this increase to his performance as ‘crisis leader’: the French believe that he has coped well with the pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
Support from other parties
In addition to poor voter support, the June parliamentary elections could pose problems for Macron. A majority is probably just in it for La République en Marche. But the re-elected president will need support from other parties. MPs from the classical right-wing Les Républicains and the Greens have already said they want to join him, but do not want to join his movement. The head of state fears that this will create a ‘patchwork’ group, which will not offer him enough stability.
Even with a majority behind him, Macron can wet his chest. He wants to start immediately with a controversial pension intervention, which he did not get through during his previous term in office. The president believes that the French should work until age 64 instead of 62. Marine Le Pen did not intend to change this age, Jean-Luc Mélenchon wanted to go back to 60. Together they achieved 45 percent in the first round. If all the evil French and the unions unite, the country can prepare for massive demonstrations and strikes.
Anger continues to smolder
In the first round, six in ten voters voted for a radical party, a clear protest against the current head of state. He has the image of being arrogant and far removed from the common man. The wrath of these French continues to smolder. Here and there there are already warnings against a revival of the Yellow Vests. This protest movement arose at the end of 2018 out of irritation about a green tax on the already expensive petrol, Macron’s ‘policy for the rich’ and general discontent.
Marine Le Pen said in a speech shortly after the results were announced that she remains committed to France and the French. She previously announced that she would not stand for election again for the Élysée. The Rassemblement National foreman was a more serious candidate than five years ago, but not yet a la hauteur, as the French say, ‘not good enough’.
This is not only due to her aversion to her extreme ideas in the field of immigration and integration – she wants to give French priority in allocating social housing, jobs and benefits. But also with the fact that some of her plans are simply not feasible. Giving priority to French people is against the Constitution and European rules. Partly because of these ramshackle proposals, Le Pen still lacks credibility.