On 26 April 2022, the Institute for Foreign Affairs and Trade (IFAT) organised an online roundtable discussion on the French presidential elections entitled “French presidential elections – programmes, results, perspectives”. Anita Szűcs, a well-known expert on France from Corvinus University in Budapest, Ferenc Robák, a former Hungarian Ambassador to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, who served as a diplomat at the Hungarian Embassy in Paris for many years and is currently a lecturer at the National University of Public Service, and Gergely Fejérdy, a senior research fellow at our institute, analysed the path leading to the re-election of Emmanuel Macron on 24 April 2022 and the likely consequences.
It was mentioned at the event that the “old-new” president won with a better score the presidential election-than-expected. With 58% of the vote. Although after the first round it was expected to be very close the main candidates. Experts have underlined that the re-election of Emmanuel Macron does not mean that he has the support of the French majority, but rather that the French people voted for him for lack of a better candidate and to avoid a radical candidate. It has also been highlighted that the French population is becoming increasingly disillusioned and dissatisfied with politics and the political elite. In relation to this trend, specialists pointed out that turnout had fallen compared to previous years and that radical candidates Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon together had received the most votes in the first round. The almost complete disappearance of the classical parties, the Republicans and the Socialists, and the absence of a moderate alternative to Macron were also specifically mentioned.
The speakers also discussed Marine Le Pen’s remarkable electoral achievements and her programme, stressing that she has transformed the former National Front, now the National Rally, from an extremist into a moderate political force, but that her European and economic programme in particular is full of contradictions and its implementation could have negative consequences not only for France but also for Europe in general.
At the end of the discussion, the conclusion was that the results of the National Assembly elections on 12 and 19 June could still be important for the analysis of the French political balance of power, although no major earthquake is expected. President Macron will in all likelihood win a majority in the National Assembly, but he faces a very difficult period. After the Covid crisis, France’s leadership, already struggling with a number of economic and social problems, is facing a difficult period, given also the Russian-Ukrainian war that broke out in February and its consequences. French domestic politics, social tensions and internal divisions could put obstacles in the way of President Macron’s European and global ambitions.
For the full recording please click on the link below or visit our YouTube channel!
JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjIxMDAlMjUlMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjI0NTAlMjIlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkJTJGaXhLampleWRTem8lMjIlMjB0aXRsZSUzRCUyMllvdVR1YmUlMjB2aWRlbyUyMHBsYXllciUyMiUyMGZyYW1lYm9yZGVyJTNEJTIyMCUyMiUyMGFsbG93JTNEJTIyYWNjZWxlcm9tZXRlciUzQiUyMGF1dG9wbGF5JTNCJTIwY2xpcGJvYXJkLXdyaXRlJTNCJTIwZW5jcnlwdGVkLW1lZGlhJTNCJTIwZ3lyb3Njb3BlJTNCJTIwcGljdHVyZS1pbi1waWN0dXJlJTIyJTIwYWxsb3dmdWxsc2NyZWVuJTNFJTNDJTJGaWZyYW1lJTNF