Macron Leaves France on the Edge
In a political assessment published on newyorker.com, an observer discusses how Emmanuel Macron succeeded politically while killing off the center right and center left and failing to provide an alternative.
The main problem is this. Macron’s tenure has effectively dismantled both the traditional center-left and center-right parties, leaving behind a paralyzed government and an electorate living in ghostly expectancy ahead of the presidential election.
The Collapse of Traditional Parties
The political architecture built under the banner of Macronism relied entirely on individual personalities rather than durable party structures. The author notes that the President’s movement, originally launched as En Marche, bore his own initials. By bypassing intermediary organizations such as trade unions and local mayors, Macron fostered a climate of cold contempt among the public.
Centrist Politicians Struggle to Balance Protests with Police Action
Centrist politicians remain largely inaudible and paralyzed, caught between endorsing school protests and backing police interventions.
Supporting student demonstrations risks legitimizing disorder, while backing heavy-handed police tactics alienates reform-minded citizens.
“And, of course, the picture people have of Macron at one level is a rather authoritarian figure telling people what to do, a sort of vertical President. But then another, a vertical President who simply has no power. He’s the worst of both worlds.”
Electoral Realities on the Ground
Public sentiment reflects deep apprehension. Observers on the ground describe citizens feeling as though they are living on a volcano, waiting out a paralyzed administration until the next presidential contest.
Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon are positioned to capture radicalized support from opposite ends of the political spectrum. Le Pen calls for strict order and beats Mélenchon by over thirty points in potential runoffs, while Mélenchon fully backs student demonstrations, gaining new support from radicalized student and leftist constituencies.
Macron Undermines Successors Unlike Valéry Giscard d’Estaing
The comparison to former President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing highlights Macron’s structural failures. While Giscard d’Estaing attempted to build a sustainable center party between the Gaullists and the left, Macron actively undermined potential successors.
