French presidential election, 2022

[CumbrianLefty]

Already so much looking forward to this.

Not.

[CumbrianLefty]

It would be really hard for me to decide who to vote for in the first round, were I able to vote. Being British I have a visceral dislike of Macron but if I were French I might have a more positive opinion of him.

Macron, it seems, is perceived as some sort of southern European leftist here. Just look at the Telegraph.

Did you support anyone last time round? From the little I know about you, you seem somewhat Eurosceptic, economically centrist, a bit socially conservative; but generally quite moderate. Modern SDP? I think there are a lot of voters like that in France. Not sure who you might like. Bertrand?

You've read me well, only correction is that I'd say I'm more economically left of centre and pro-localism/regionalism and also not uniformly conservative as I'm not against immigration - perhaps the continuity SDP would be the best fit for me, I've never thought to join them or anything. As I have said before, I've voted for four different parties in the past

Didn't you identify as Tory in a certain other place?

[CumbrianLefty]

It would be really hard for me to decide who to vote for in the first round, were I able to vote. Being British I have a visceral dislike of Macron but if I were French I might have a more positive opinion of him.

Macron, it seems, is perceived as some sort of southern European leftist here. Just look at the Telegraph.

Did you support anyone last time round? From the little I know about you, you seem somewhat Eurosceptic, economically centrist, a bit socially conservative; but generally quite moderate. Modern SDP? I think there are a lot of voters like that in France. Not sure who you might like. Bertrand?

You've read me well, only correction is that I'd say I'm more economically left of centre and pro-localism/regionalism and also not uniformly conservative as I'm not against immigration - perhaps the continuity SDP would be the best fit for me, I've never thought to join them or anything. As I have said before, I've voted for four different parties in the past

Didn't you identify as Tory in a certain other place?

Yes I did - but (as I've said before) I've changed my views a lot to become more economically left and socially moderate in the past few years as I have had to become more economically independent and after gaining an appreciation for the lives of those less fortunate, but I've maintained my Euroscepticism.

Ta, its confirmation you are indeed the same person anyway

[CumbrianLefty]

As they love to tell each other, France and the UK have many significant differences.

But they also have one big thing in common - both were major imperial powers.

Lingering effects of that still contributing to the political malaise in both countries today?

[CumbrianLefty]

Well they *are* polling higher than others, aren't they?

[CumbrianLefty]

Does that mean Zemmour's into this "New Chronology" lark?

[CumbrianLefty]

In other news, Zemmour (...) has gone completely off the rails and Le Pen/RN is essentially accusing him of being too extreme.

Didn't that happen a while back?

[CumbrianLefty]

Tbh even given the parlous state of the PS, its still a surprise that Hidalgo has bombed so badly.

I mean, she's pretty alright.

[CumbrianLefty]

Loathsome pro-Putin shills throughout Europe tanking in popularity is one genuine silver lining of the recent awful events.

[CumbrianLefty]

Interesting that even if Le Pen has a much greater chance of winning than in 2017, the world isn't freaking out as much.

Partly because Zemmour is even more repellent, I would have thought.

[CumbrianLefty]

If Le Pen wins will France leave the EU and start helping Russia?

No, and no?

Zemmour would probably do both those things though. Just as well he is getting stomped.

[CumbrianLefty]

In their own ways, both Macron and Melenchon are pretty terrible. Which makes it all the more tragic that the organised centre-left in France has all but ceased to exist.

[CumbrianLefty]

I'm guessing that there will be a panic stage followed by a "front républicain" effect that will lead some leftists who would otherwise have abstained to rally to Macron. Probably significantly less than in 2017, though.

I hope to God that the 2027 runoff will be something other than "preppy neoliberal vs far-right demagogue" though. If we keep going this way there's a real chance France might fall.

I'm repeating myself, but we desperately need a functioning mainstream left in France again.

[CumbrianLefty]

What"s the point of going on really, she'll get rid of me, deprive me of my country of birth and all i've ever known, everything i had to live for

Come on mate, enough of this. There is (almost) always a reason to go on.

I still don't think that le Pen will win - if she does it will be awful for France, but France will survive.

And regardless of how it all ends up, it is surely obvious that Macron making raising the retirement age a major plank of his re-election bid was an astonishing and reckless act of hubris from him.

[CumbrianLefty]

Hidalgo didn't even get 2% in the end? Genuine sad trombone noise.

I actually rated her and at one point thought she might do OK, but in the end her campaign made that of Liz "4.5%" Kendall (someone else who I still actually like personally, despite everything) appear the model of electoral and strategic genius.

[CumbrianLefty]

It appears also that former French West Africa is quite fond of Melenchon.

[CumbrianLefty]

Who are these Zemmour-Macron voters?

A lot of them very rich people, who are more likely to see le Pen as unacceptably "common".