Across the world, people are celebrating Marcon’s victory in France. They watched for weeks as the fight for power between Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen was ongoing, now we know who has come out of the arena… and who has not.
Macron took 58.5% of Sunday’s vote, making him the first French leader to be reelected in 20 years. He and Le Pen advanced to the runoff after finishing in first and second place, respectively, among 12 candidates who ran in the first round on April 10.
After winning his election, Macron vowed to be the “president for each and every one of you,” on Champs de Mars in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower in central Paris. He then thanked his supporters and acknowledged that many, like in 2017, voted for him simply to block the extreme right. Macron said that his second term would not be a continuation of his first, committing to address all of France’s current problems.
However, what if Le Pen won? Le Pen acknowledged the fact that the far-right had never performed so well in a presidential election. She called the result “historic” and a “shining victory” that put her political party, National Rally, “in an excellent position” for June’s parliamentary elections. “The game is not quite over,” she said
A government under Le Pen would have changed France’s relationship with the West, at a time when they and its allies rely on Paris to take a leading role in confronting some of the world’s biggest challenges such as the war in Ukraine.
Le Pen, who is far right, would take a weaker step against Putin. Some view her even as pro-Putin. She has kept close ties with the Kremlin which Macron criticized television. She would change how France’s foreign policy into a pro-Russian spiral.
Furthermore, Russia’s Vladimir Putin has congratulated Macron in a “sincere” Telegram message. “I sincerely wish you success in your state activities, as well as good health and wellbeing,” Mr. Putin said to Mr. Macron, according to a statement from the Kremlin.
While Le Pen is far from winning anytime soon, the far-right in France has been increasingly stronger. It might come soon to a point when Le Pen or another fat right politician will win the French presidency. But for now, Macron has won the 2022 French presidential election.
By: Caleb Lee
