France’s Big Hate

NOËLLE LENOIR

Emmanuel Macron’s unexpected victory in the 2017 French presidential election, with 66% of the vote, made France seem, at least to some, a safe haven from the populism roiling European politics.

His triumph came as a relief to a large majority of the French, as well as to other governments in the European Union and around the world.

But Macron’s victory incited a form of near-hysterical derangement among his opponents on the extreme right and left.

The increasingly violent, racist, and anti-Semitic “Yellow Vest” protests are the visible manifestation of that rage.

True, some of the blame for this lies with Macron, and with the technocratic tin ear of some of his team.

In particular, the sharp increase in taxes on fuel announced in November 2018 – a move intended to advance the president’s climate agenda while helping, at the margins, to balance the budget – disproportionately hit rural and suburban voters, who were already feeling squeezed economically. This triggered the Yellow Vest rebellion.

But as the protests have shrunk in size and intensified in violence, Macron and what he represents have become the focus of the extremists’ hate.

For starters, Macron stands out nowadays for his commitment to revitalizing Europe.

He rejects the emerging consensus that mainstream politicians can defeat populism only by downplaying their support for the EU.

Instead, Macron relentlessly asserts his belief in a strong, democratic, and prosperous Europe that is capable of acting with authority in the world.

Moreover, Macron has so far pressed ahead, despite the protests, with the reforms he promised during his campaign.

Laws to increase labormarket flexibility, ensure ethical behavior by elected officials and civil servants, and modernize the country’s obsolete university entrance system were adopted in less than a year.

But Macron underestimated the difficulty of reducing France’s budget deficit and public debt to comply with eurozone rules, contributing to his decision to raise fuel taxes last November.

Today, Macron’s opponents from across the political spectrum portray themselves as part of some spontaneous popular movement.

But the truth is that many of the politicians Macron defeated in his victorious campaign are now out to undermine him.