Vive la France! Unity, equality and hope for a bright future of EU!

 

dr. james kottoor

James kottoorEmmanuel Macron’s 39, victory is called “spectacular” in comparison to his opponent Le Pen’s  thorough defeat  for her “militant extremism” and nationalism. What is striking is, all editorial commentaries alwys cite Trump victory and Brexit on either side of the Atlantic, to highlight how backward, regressive and antediluvian are these so-called ‘civilized’ rich countries are, both to provoke and shame them to rethink and mend their misguided politics to suit the 21st century

When narrow nationalism, white racism and ‘post truth’ (untruth) are spreading like wild fire across the globe, French election and its emphasis to take a centrist position, avoiding  both  extremes (‘Virtus stat in medio’, virtue stands in the middle) has brought in a sobering effect on global thinking. The galloping wild horses, US and UK, are arrested in their blind track at least for a moment. For ‘rogue nations’ least concerned about public opinion but only about  their own “might is right”, the youngest world leader Macron has come as a decisive road-block who can’t be ignored easily, at least in the near future.

This is not to say that all is well with Macron. A very heavy responsibility and long road stares at him in the face after the first bold step he has taken by sweeping aside the possibility of a ‘Frexit’ of Le Pen and promising a better future for European Union, without the help of a single member in the Parliament. Ensuring a majority there is essential for steamroling any of the reforms of his party, just nascent and rightly called ‘En Marche’, on the March. And the ‘March’ has only just flagged off. Along with well-wishers of the whole world, CCV wishes him well and good speed. james kottoor, editor, ccv.

 

 Please read editorial in Statesman below

La Marseillaise

Editorial in The Statesman, May 11, 2017

France has spoken against fervid nationalism of the Le Pen variety. It isn’t often that the opinion polls are right, yet Emmanuel Macron’s victory is spectacular as far as optics go.

The country, convulsed by militant extremism, has opted for the centre-ground in a refreshing contrast to the outcome last November in the US elections, not to forget the mood in Britain since last June. Mr Macron has won a decisive majority, surpassing the opinion poll projections with a convincing margin ~ 66.1 to 33.9 per cent. Rated as one of the biggest presidential triumphs in the history of the Fifth Republic, the far-right racist challenge has been trounced fair and square.

Contained in the process is the right-wing wave and the demagogic nationalism on either side of the Atlantic ~ from Theresa May’s Britain to Donald Trump’s America. As the fountain-head of libertarian democracy, France has shown the way… so very unlike the two other Western democracies that are straining every nerve to turn the clock back. Unmistakable is the profoundly resonant ring to La Marseillaise that ought now to stir the conscience of the West. A huge responsibility rests on Mr Macron not least because of the racist/ethnic tension that simmers on the surface and mayhem a further inch beneath tension.

It is a historical moment for his new movement ~ En Marche ~ which aside from the far right has, for now, relegated the conventional parties of the Left and Right to the margins. Mr Macron was remarkably effective with his campaign style, projecting a positive message of hope and reform, of liberal values allied to social justice, and of competence. France will look forward to a consolidation of the mandate; as he steps into Elysee, the Presidentelect must be acutely aware that more than a third of the voters had supported a far-right, anti-European, anti-immigrant and racist party leader… even as they turned up at the booths.  

Equally, he was able to garner the support of his pro-left predecessor, Francois Hollande. Markedly, the abstention rate at around 25 per cent was the highest since 1969. The unnerving thought of a fractious electorate cannot be wholly inconsequential. In the immediate perspective, he will have to countenance the fallout of the eve-of-poll hacking of his emails, faintly reminiscent of Hilary Clinton’s predicament.

He will have to strive for growth and reform, tackle high unemployment, the fear of terrorism, social and racial antagonism, and the ineffectiveness of the entity called the European Union. With “Frexit” seemingly out of the question, the comity of nations must wish him well as he scripts what he calls a “new chapter of hope, and confidence rediscovered”

                        

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