Everything you have to know about the French Presidential candidates!
Know why this election is crucial not just for France but for the whole of Europe.
The first round of the French Presidential Elections was held between 11 candidates on the 23rd of April. None of the candidates secured a majority with independent centrist Emmanuel Macron getting the highest vote share at 23.86% and far- right candidate Marine Le Pen coming in second with 21.43%. The next round will be held tomorrow on the 7th of May between the two of them. Let’s understand the candidates to know why this election is so important not just for France but for the whole of Europe.
Who is Emmanuel Macron?
Former banker Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frédéric Macron was the youngest candidate in the Presidential race. Though he was economy minister in the Hollande cabinet, this is the first time that he has ever contested elections for any public office. In the summer of 2016, after resigning from the cabinet, he began his own independent movement called En Marche! (On the Move!). Seen as an agent of change, the movement is described as one revolutionizing, “the tired old ways of French politics.”
What is his Ideological stance?
Immigration: An independent centrist, Macron is staunchly pro-European Union, pro-business and advocates an open-door policy towards immigrants, arguing that immigrants bring with them a positive impact on the economy.
Religion: A supporter of multiculturalism, he says that “we have a duty to let everybody practice their religion with dignity” and also disapproves of the ban on the hijab. However, he believes in a common law for all French citizens saying that, “I simply believe that when one enters the public realm, the laws of the Republic must prevail over religious law.”
Economy: He stands for relaxing labour laws, cutting business taxes, cutting public spending, shrinking the public sector and boosting investment. While he wants to provide more people with unemployment benefits, he proposes suspending benefits of qualified workers who refuse two “decent” job offers”.
Did you know?
Macron is married to Brigitte Trogneux, his high school teacher, 25 years his senior. They first met in drama class and managed to stay together even after attempts by Macron’s parents to separate the two. At the age of 39, Macron has 7 step grandchildren!
Who is Marine Le Pen?
Marine Le Pen is actually the reason most people are concerned about this election.
The far-right candidate Le Pen is a former lawyer, who took over the leadership of the National Front from her father Jean-Marie Le Pen. Jean Marie Le Penn was known for his extremist, anti-semetic views with him dismissing the holocaust and the Nazi gas chambers as a “minor detail of World War 2”. Marine threw her dad out of the Party in 2015 and has tried to give the party an image makeover ever since, projecting it as being more moderate. In her first presidential election bid, back in 2012, she stood third behind Francois Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy. Her vote share in the current elections has been the highest that her party has ever managed till date.
What is her ideological stance?
Immigration: Culturally and economically protectionist, the extreme right candidate stands for France for the French. With her strong anti-immigration stance, she has promised to put steps in place to ensure that the French are preferred over immigrants for jobs and welfare schemes. She wants to drastically cut down on legal immigration as well.
Religion: Although, she is a proponent of secularism, she does not believe in multiculturalism and stands for complete separation of state and religion. She is against the public display of any kind of religious symbolism or clothing, calling for a ban on the hijab, turban etc. She calls her party a defender of democracy and secularism against “oppressive”, “intolerant” and “barbaric” Islamic ideas. She called for a closure of all mosques post the 20th April shooting at the Champs Élysées and insisted on the expulsion of all religious fundamentalists from the country.
Economy: Completely anti-globalisation, she believes in giving priority to French nationals in jobs, housing and welfare and imposing extra tax on foreign workers and imports. She is against the European Union and has called for a referendum for “Frexit” much on the lines of the Brexit. She believes that the European Union has harmed France’s economy and wants to shun the common currency and return to the Franc, blaming the Euro for rising inflation in the country.
Did you know?
In 1976, when she was 8 years old, she survived a bomb attack on her family!
Given the rise of right wing populism across Europe and the election of Donald Trump in the US, all eyes are on the French election. A Marine Le Pen victory could lead to a “Frexit” which would virtually destroy the EU which is already reeling from the effects of the British Exit. All fingers will be crossed tomorrow as the fate of not just France, but Europe is decided. However, if opinion polls are anything to go by, Macron is poised for a comfortable victory over Le Pen, expected to win with a 65% vote share.
