France: the re-election of Emmanuel Macron, seen from abroad

After a lacklustre campaign, to say the least, and faced with the repeated scenario of a second round between Emmanuel Macron and far-right candidate Marine Le Pen, the French finally decided in the second round of the election on Sunday 24 April: the incumbent president once again won the battle with 51.6% of the vote, against 41.4% for his rival, and begins a second presidential term. However, the gap in votes is narrowing dangerously, confirming the growing influence of the far right on the French political landscape.

While part of the French electorate is not satisfied with this re-election, foreign leaders, and European ones in particular, have overwhelmingly welcomed Macron’s victory. But the re-elected president will have to seriously confront the increasingly deep divisions in French society, the social anger he has not managed to extinguish, the major international issues and the climate challenge that awaits us. It is better that he is not alone… Next appointment in June for the legislative elections, then!

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