Editorial | Keeping diplomatic lines open vital after French poll tumult
- Hopefully, President Emmanuel Macron can still maintain constructive dialogue with China after gamble on snap election backfires
Two months ago, French President Emmanuel Macron played host to Xi Jinping, holding talks widely seen as successful, despite tensions between China and the European Union. But now, Macron, an advocate of “strategic autonomy” for the EU rather than simply falling in with Washington’s agenda on China, is facing a crisis at home.
It threatens to weaken his position on the international stage. Legislative elections have resulted in a hung parliament, bringing instability, uncertainty and concern, ahead of the Paris Olympics.
The centrist president gambled on a snap poll after the success of right-wing parties in elections for the European Parliament in June. But his bid to bring clarity to the political landscape backfired.
A first round of voting saw Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally (RN), with its nationalistic, Eurosceptic, anti-immigration agenda, secure the highest number of votes. It was expected to win a majority in the second round, ushering in the first far-right government in France since Nazi occupation during the second world war.
Such an outcome was, ultimately, avoided in the second round due to frantic efforts among the RN’s opponents to collaborate, withdrawing candidates from the left and centre to ensure votes were concentrated on those remaining. The highest turnout for 20 years also suggests many French voters were motivated by the fear of the RN coming to power.
There were celebrations, but also clashes when the results were revealed.
