French presidential primaries

[Vistora]

Macron left the Socialists precisely because his advice wasn't heeded, leading instead to Hollande's neutered economic policies.

... that's one interesting way of seeing things. Especially with the loi Macron, and the loi El Khomri which he had a big hand in formulating.

He left to become president. From his first days as Hollande's economic advisor to his last day as Economy Minister, Macron was the brain behind the economic policy of this government.

Did he get everything he wanted? Of course not, due to political reasons. But was he not "heeded"? That's a stretch.

I suppose heeded was a bad choice in terminology, but nevertheless to say that he merely "didn't get everything he wanted" is to fail to acknowledge just how much of Hollande and his economic reform plan was watered down, reneged upon, fudged, waffled, and outright given the boot.

[The Archregimancy]

"Liberté, égalité, fraternité" is not a fucking suggestion.

It is such a lame set of values that lacks machismo more than anything else. I want a different motto that is new and more contemporary, a hard right message to take on the problems that France faces. Something along the lines of: "One people, One nation, One leader" that is in keeping to that central theme but not identical.

'Un seul peuple, une seule nation, un seul guide', or some such; presumably. However, since the direct German translation of that slogan is 'Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Führer', it's not entirely difficult to understand why that slogan might not catch on with the French far right.

The closest historical French-language precedent that I know of personally (via a trip to Zaire, as the DRC still was back then, in 1988) would be Mobutu Sese Seko's 'un seul chef, un seul peuple, une seule nation', which is precisely the same idea, but in a different order. Again, perhaps not the happiest precedent.

Could I gently suggest that the far-right might want to try something a little more, well, contemporary rather than constantly re-using the slogans of failed 20th-century dictators?

Or perhaps you were being deliberately ironic? With apologies, it's hard to tell sometimes.

[Calladan]

(smile) I would hardly call one post with three paragraphs "gloating"

It's not you, it's what you're posting about. The Twitter liberals, the social media "good people", the NYT/Guardian columnists etc.

In which case, I apologise in advance for the next paragraph

(from the BBC Website)

Huge Macron win among US expatriates
Posted at 21:28
Macron got a staggering 92% of the votes cast by French expatriates in the US who number about 300,000 according to the French government.

That is a fairly impressive percentage

[Olerand]

... that's one interesting way of seeing things. Especially with the loi Macron, and the loi El Khomri which he had a big hand in formulating.

He left to become president. From his first days as Hollande's economic advisor to his last day as Economy Minister, Macron was the brain behind the economic policy of this government.

Did he get everything he wanted? Of course not, due to political reasons. But was he not "heeded"? That's a stretch.

I suppose heeded was a bad choice in terminology, but nevertheless to say that he merely "didn't get everything he wanted" is to fail to acknowledge just how much of Hollande and his economic reform plan was watered down, reneged upon, fudged, waffled, and outright given the boot.

Wellll.... without defending the frondeurs, Hollande never actually ran on that plan. So the fact that when he had to implement it, he faced opposition and couldn't do everything is... only logical.

Now, should Hamon, Montebourg, Aubry etc. have been more responsible politicians and actually put the interests of France first? Absolutely.

But is it illogical, or even unfair, that Macron's plan wasnt implemented in full? Hm... no.

[Greater Miami Shores]

I think this was fake and planned to have opposite affect: The campaign ended Friday night with a hacking attack and document leak targeting Macron. France's government cybersecurity agency, ANSSI, is investigating. Macron's team said the hack aimed to destabilize the vote. But the timing of the leak appeared too late to have a significant impact on voting intentions.

[Vistora]

I suppose heeded was a bad choice in terminology, but nevertheless to say that he merely "didn't get everything he wanted" is to fail to acknowledge just how much of Hollande and his economic reform plan was watered down, reneged upon, fudged, waffled, and outright given the boot.

Wellll.... without defending the frondeurs, Hollande never actually ran on that plan. So the fact that when he had to implement it, he faced opposition and couldn't do everything is... only logical.

Now, should Hamon, Montebourg, Aubry etc. have been more responsible politicians and actually put the interests of France first? Absolutely.

But is it illogical, or even unfair, that Macron's plan wasnt implemented in full? Hm... no.

Yeah, I know. I'm not saying that Hollande's inability to implement much of the plan didn't make sense in its context, I'm just unconvinced by the continuous claims that Macron is merely a continuation of Hollande. As you said, he'll be as liberal as he can be within the bounds of French politics, which remain to be tested under his administration.

I can hope at least. I haven't done so in a while, after all.

[Olerand]

It's not you, it's what you're posting about. The Twitter liberals, the social media "good people", the NYT/Guardian columnists etc.

In which case, I apologise in advance for the next paragraph

(from the BBC Website)

Huge Macron win among US expatriates
Posted at 21:28
Macron got a staggering 92% of the votes cast by French expatriates in the US who number about 300,000 according to the French government.

That is a fairly impressive percentage

No, it really isn't. It would literally defy logic to see the candidate who wants to forbid dual nationalities, who complains about expats abandoning the nation etc. actually do well with French people abroad. It's not an impressive number, and it wouldn't have been impressive if Macron had won 100% of their vote.

Anyway, I am immensely grateful to God that I am going to New Caledonia soon, and away from of this nonsense for the rest of the month. Hopefully when I come back and I have to pay attention to the English language media again, the liberal orgasming, the hot takes, and the ignorant op-eds will have run their course.
As much as they ever do when it comes to coverage of French issues.

[Vistora]

In which case, I apologise in advance for the next paragraph



That is a fairly impressive percentage

No, it really isn't. It would literally defy logic to see the candidate who wants to forbid dual nationalities, who complains about expats abandoning the nation etc. actually do well with French people abroad. It's not an impressive number, and it wouldn't have been impressive if Macron had won 100% of their vote.

Anyway, I am immensely grateful to God that I am going to New Caledonia soon, and away from of this nonsense for the rest of the month. Hopefully when I come back and I have to pay attention to the English language media again, the liberal orgasming, the hot takes, and the ignorant op-eds will have run their course.
As much as they ever do when it comes to coverage of French issues.

Feel free to immerse yourself in the media segment holding the viewpoint of your choice. I'm sure there will be plenty of places out there presaging as much doom and gloom if you'd rather not read the "liberal orgasming".

[Olerand]

Wellll.... without defending the frondeurs, Hollande never actually ran on that plan. So the fact that when he had to implement it, he faced opposition and couldn't do everything is... only logical.

Now, should Hamon, Montebourg, Aubry etc. have been more responsible politicians and actually put the interests of France first? Absolutely.

But is it illogical, or even unfair, that Macron's plan wasnt implemented in full? Hm... no.

Yeah, I know. I'm not saying that Hollande's inability to implement much of the plan didn't make sense in its context, I'm just unconvinced by the continuous claims that Macron is merely a continuation of Hollande. As you said, he'll be as liberal as he can be within the bounds of French politics, which remain to be tested under his administration.

I can hope at least. I haven't done so in a while, after all.

I admire your ability to hope. Especially in Macron.

I find that... refreshing. Like... a trip back to elementary school. No offense intended of course.

[Republique Galliaise]

I've never been more ashamed to be French. And now I also have to leave my own country in order to actually be safe, Macron's going to turn us into a third world country and there's nothing we can do about it unless we have another revolution. Anyone who says him winning is an ignorant fool, the streets of Paris are a warzone day in and day out, there's also parts of the city cordoned off by the "refugees" as their own "communities" and hell even off duty police have to still work just to keep order. My own countrymen have officially screwed us.

[Olerand]

No, it really isn't. It would literally defy logic to see the candidate who wants to forbid dual nationalities, who complains about expats abandoning the nation etc. actually do well with French people abroad. It's not an impressive number, and it wouldn't have been impressive if Macron had won 100% of their vote.

Anyway, I am immensely grateful to God that I am going to New Caledonia soon, and away from of this nonsense for the rest of the month. Hopefully when I come back and I have to pay attention to the English language media again, the liberal orgasming, the hot takes, and the ignorant op-eds will have run their course.
As much as they ever do when it comes to coverage of French issues.

Feel free to immerse yourself in the media segment holding the viewpoint of your choice. I'm sure there will be plenty of places out there presaging as much doom and gloom if you'd rather not read the "liberal orgasming".

What doom and gloom? I voted for Macron, twice.

[Vistora]

Yeah, I know. I'm not saying that Hollande's inability to implement much of the plan didn't make sense in its context, I'm just unconvinced by the continuous claims that Macron is merely a continuation of Hollande. As you said, he'll be as liberal as he can be within the bounds of French politics, which remain to be tested under his administration.

I can hope at least. I haven't done so in a while, after all.

I admire your ability to hope. Especially in Macron.

I find that... refreshing. Like... a trip back to elementary school. No offense intended of course.

None taken. Even if hope is juvenile, it feels refreshing to give the role of perennial cynic a break.

What doom and gloom? I voted for Macron, twice.

Ach, pay my flippant quips no mind.

[Olerand]

I've never been more ashamed to be French. And now I also have to leave my own country in order to actually be safe, Macron's going to turn us into a third world country and there's nothing we can do about it unless we have another revolution. Anyone who says him winning is an ignorant fool, the streets of Paris are a warzone day in and day out, there's also parts of the city cordoned off by the "refugees" as their own "communities" and hell even off duty police have to still work just to keep order. My own countrymen have officially screwed us.

It's not that serious.

[Republique Galliaise]

I've never been more ashamed to be French. And now I also have to leave my own country in order to actually be safe, Macron's going to turn us into a third world country and there's nothing we can do about it unless we have another revolution. Anyone who says him winning is an ignorant fool, the streets of Paris are a warzone day in and day out, there's also parts of the city cordoned off by the "refugees" as their own "communities" and hell even off duty police have to still work just to keep order. My own countrymen have officially screwed us.

It's not that serious.

You're delusional. It IS that serious or are you really honestly that delusional. We're screwed. We're going to become the next Sweden and Germany.

[Irona]

Celebrate like its 1945! The defeat of Wilders and now Le Pen is a crushing blow to the European far-right. These elections have thankfully demonstrated that populist right-wing extremism isn't spreading to mainland Europe.

[Individual Thought Patterns]

(L)e Pen and the A(l)t Right can take this one big L.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

It's not that serious.

You're delusional. It IS that serious or are you really honestly that delusional. We're screwed. We're going to become the next Sweden and Germany.

...

I honestly don't see how that's a bad thing.

[Vistora]

Celebrate like its 1945! The defeat of Wilders and now Le Pen is a crushing blow to the European far-right. These elections have thankfully demonstrated that populist right-wing extremism isn't spreading to mainland Europe.

Don't get your hopes up. They're down, but not out, and their grievances must be acknowledged and addressed (not necessarily gratified, though) if they are to be properly dealt with, or else they will merely surge back once again.

[Internationalist Bastard]

Good job France you didn't keep up with the shitty nationalist trend

[Empire of Cats]

Celebrate like its 1945! The defeat of Wilders and now Le Pen is a crushing blow to the European far-right. These elections have thankfully demonstrated that populist right-wing extremism isn't spreading to mainland Europe.

Because tonight we're gonna party like it's nine-teen-forty-five!

Y'know, that fits pretty well with Prince's "1999".

[Irona]

Celebrate like its 1945! The defeat of Wilders and now Le Pen is a crushing blow to the European far-right. These elections have thankfully demonstrated that populist right-wing extremism isn't spreading to mainland Europe.

Don't get your hopes up. They're down, but not out, and their grievances must be acknowledged and addressed (not necessarily gratified, though) if they are to be properly dealt with, or else they will merely surge back once again.

Not in France, Le Pen really came third. The total number of N/A voters was higher than her share. She completely failed to gain popular support.

[Empire of Cats]

Don't get your hopes up. They're down, but not out, and their grievances must be acknowledged and addressed (not necessarily gratified, though) if they are to be properly dealt with, or else they will merely surge back once again.

Not in France, Le Pen really came third. The total number of N/A voters was higher than her share. She completely failed to gain popular support.

Zut alors!

[Outer Sparta]

It's not that serious.

You're delusional. It IS that serious or are you really honestly that delusional. We're screwed. We're going to become the next Sweden and Germany.

How is being Sweden and Germany a bad thing?

[Zeinbrad]

I've never been more ashamed to be French. And now I also have to leave my own country in order to actually be safe, Macron's going to turn us into a third world country and there's nothing we can do about it unless we have another revolution. Anyone who says him winning is an ignorant fool, the streets of Paris are a warzone day in and day out, there's also parts of the city cordoned off by the "refugees" as their own "communities" and hell even off duty police have to still work just to keep order. My own countrymen have officially screwed us.

I had no idea mortar shells, air strikes and artilley bomarments were being called daily as militiamen try to hold the line against endless counter attacks and people starve from the lack of food or medicine.

[Vistora]

Don't get your hopes up. They're down, but not out, and their grievances must be acknowledged and addressed (not necessarily gratified, though) if they are to be properly dealt with, or else they will merely surge back once again.

Not in France, Le Pen really came third. The total number of N/A voters was higher than her share. She completely failed to gain popular support.

That doesn't mean she didn't place. The N/A votes are, as implied, not applicable, and FN pretty much doubled its support since Jean-Marie ran for prez. Who's to say that trend won't continue? Maybe not, but is it worth the risk? We cannot rest on our laurels and be complacent. It's that political approach that got us into this mess in the first place. In the end, it's not about the victory, but what can be done with the victory. That's what matters, and that's why the fight never stops.

I support Macron because, perhaps to the jeers of others, I do have some actual confidence that he can begin to mend society's divisions and, more importantly, put France on track towards a brighter future.