Emmanuel Macron overcomes far-right Marine Le Pen, but major challenges await his French presidency

Emmanuel Macron must know the future of his centrist movement — in the rest of Europe as well as France — now depends on what he is actually able to achieve.

Written by: India.com News Desk

Published: May 8, 2017, 6:34 PM IST

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Registering a stunning win over far-right rival Marine Le Pen, Centrist Emmanuel Macron won the presidential election, becoming the youngest President of France. The 39-year-old Emmanuel Macron received an overwhelming 66.06 per cent of all votes, while his nearest rival Marine Le Pen took 33.94 per cent of the votes in the Presidential election’s crucial runoff. Many described the solid victory of Emmanuel Macron as a win for liberal democracy and pluralism, the France’s new president-elect will face an uphill task to unite the country riven by anxieties about terrorism, immigrants and chronic unemployment.

Emmanuel Macron, a civil servant who became a millionaire investment banker and then a government minister, is facing significant challenges in France. From the victory of Emmanuel Macron to the national security, the France is divided on many fronts. Emmanuel Macron’s policy on immigrants will be keenly watched as many in France are worried about the cultural, economic and religious impact of immigration. The parliamentary election will be his first major test.

Three major challenges before the president-elect Emmanuel Macron:

• France is divided on the election of the President. In the Paris metro, an advertisement was defaced with the words: “Macron: Not even started, already hated.” The electoral campaign run by Centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right rival Marine Le Pen has polarised the country. The Centrist Macron faces dual challenge from left and right. The left-wing frustration at Macron’s candidacy, triggered a sharp spike in abstentions and blank and spoiled ballots. Marine Le Pen took about 10.6 million votes in the Presidential election’s crucial runoff. This was almost double the tally her more rabid father Jean-Marie won in 2002, the last time a far-right candidate made it to the runoff. The new President vowed to fight “the forces of division that undermine France”, but only time will tell how united France will stand under his leadership.
• Emmanuel Macron and his only a year old party will face tough challenge from France’s established parties in June’s legislative elections. In order to govern with complete control, Macron’s ‘En Marche!’ needs to win a majority in June’s parliamentary elections. Rival parties which supported Macron against Le Pen will try to win in the parliamentary vote and elect their own party members to the National Assembly. If another party wins a majority, Macron could be pressured to choose a prime minister from that party in a situation called “co-habitation”.
• National Security is the foremost challenge for Emmanuel Macron. After losing the presidential election, Marine Le Pen told her National Front supporters that the new divide in France was between “globalists and patriots”. It show the politics around nationalism and security. The inexperienced Macron will have to come up with a robust plan to protect the nation. More than 230 people were killed in extremist attacks since January 2015. Macron has been under criticism for advocating against stripping dual-nationals convicted of terrorist offenses of their French nationality. He launched his presidential campaign with a plan to tackle extremist attacks by obliging internet companies to release encrypted messages.

Emmanuel Macron has risen to success in a very short span of time. Not since World War II has anybody won the French presidency without a political party and a parliamentary base. But Macron did this visibly impossible task. He must know the future of his centrist movement — in the rest of Europe as well as France — now depends on what he is actually able to achieve.