Following a severe setback in regional elections, France’s head of state Emmanuel Macron and right-wing populist Marine Le Pen both needed an explanation. Macron’s LREM party did not win in any field in the second round on Sunday. By estimates, Le Pen’s party first failed with its stated plan to conquer a region and thus become a bastion of power.
Areas that have less capabilities than the German federal states remained largely in the hands of the civil rights and leftists. Turnout was very low – almost two out of three eligible voters did not take part in the vote.
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Macron and Le Pen are by far the most promising candidates for the presidential election in ten months. Commentators on the evening of the election said that Le Pen would have to stand up to his liberal course in a week at the Assembly National (RN) party congress. For example, the daughter of Front National co-founder Jean-Marie Le Pen has long abandoned radical demands to exit the euro area in order to give the party a wider base of supporters. RN politician Jordan Bardella spoke of a “failed union with the French” in terms of regional elections.
The elections, which took place three months later than initially planned because of the coronavirus pandemic, revealed significant weaknesses in the Macron camp in the regions. The remaining candidates from LREM and its allies ended up in the back seat. Government spokesman Gabriel Attal spoke of the “disappointment”.
Macron must now indicate a national holiday on 14 July, wrote the weekly “Le Journal du Dimanche” even before the election results were known. A major government reshuffle, which has long been speculated, is not initially planned, several media reported.
Le Pen’s party hoped to conquer the Provence-Alpes-Cte-d’Azur region along with the cities of Marseille and Nice. Candidate Thierry Mariani only got a good 42 percent, as reported by TV station France 2. Bourgeois-Orthodox applicant Renaud Muselier secured more than 57 percent – he declared himself the winner that evening.
On civil rights, regional politicians who were confirmed to office with a clear majority stood for presidential election. “This result gives me the strength to approach all the French people,” said Javier Bertrand from the northern region of Hauts-de-France.
Coincidence or not: Macron wants to head to Bertrand’s territory this Monday to announce a $1 billion investment in a battery factory by the Chinese Envision Group, as reported by AFP news agency. Battery to be installed in Renault electric cars. According to the lysée Palace, Macron wants to get about 150 domestic and foreign company bosses for location promotions at Versailles near Paris. (dpa)
