The nightmare is over. The surge of anti-establishment feeling that produced the Brexit vote and propelled Donald Trump to the White House is in retreat.
The French, of all people, pioneers of revolution, have seen off their pitchforked populists and brought the world to its senses.
As if.
The sighs of relief in Brussels are almost audible across the channel. Emmanuel Macron, their man, is almost certain to prevail in the French elections.
EU officials like Michel Barnier could not contain themselves, despite their professed commitment never to interfere in elections.
The man who will negotiate Brexit, tweeting this soon after Macron's victory seemed likely: "A European and patriot I have confidence in Emmanuel Macron for 7th of May. France must remain European."
But if the EU reacts to the French vote as it has so far to Brexit, it may well be doomed.
Barring something very unexpected, Marine Le Pen is almost certain to lose the second round runoff.
That, though, is not the point. Look at the number of French voters supporting extreme eurosceptic positions.
Add her support to that for hard leftist Jean-Luc Melenchon and another minor candidate and almost half of France voted for candidates promising a Frexit referendum.
The French are deeply worried. Whole swathes of the North East's industrial heartlands are hollowed out. Once thriving towns and villages across the country are empty and void of people or economic life.
There are multiple reasons for the malaise, but many blame the EU and its commitment to globalisation, open economies and the free movement of people and goods washing through open borders.
Polling has revealed the same fears behind Brexit have helped Le Pen in France. The fear of losing something precious. The country the French once knew and held dear is disappearing, they say.
Rightly or wrongly, economic failure and the EU's inability to reverse it are unleashing powerful and extreme political forces across Europe.
No comments:
Post a Comment