France elects Macron

THE decisive election of Emmanuel Macron, a political neophyte committed to the European Union, economic reform and traditional liberalism, as president of France offered relief to everyone who feared France could become the next country to succumb to the wave of populism, nationalism and anti-globalism.

A mysterious, 11th-hour email hack of the Macron campaign appears to have made little difference. With projections showing Macron with more than 65 percent of the vote to 35 percent for the far-right, nationalist Marine Le Pen, his was a victory of hope and optimism.

When he starts his five-year term next weekend, Macron, at 39, will be the youngest president in French history. He will be the first president in decades not to come from one of the traditional parties of the left or right; he formed his own centrist political party, En Marche! (loosely translated as “Forward!”) barely a year ago.

But Macron faces challenges. He is taking charge with many people feeling marginalised by globalisation, economic stagnation, unemployment, faceless terrorism and a tide of immigrants. That a farright nationalist could reach the second round of voting, and then collect over a third of the vote, was evidence of the despair of what she calls les oubliés, “the forgotten”.

In his victory speech, Macron acknowledged the divisions and invoked the “immense task” that lies ahead. Achieving any of his goals, which include reforming the stultifying labour code, a perennial frustration for businesses, and cutting the bloated bureaucratic ranks, will require another political feat next month when France votes for a new National Assembly. Macron’s fledgling party plans to run candidates in all districts.

For now, there is the satisfaction that French voters were not seduced by nativist illusions and instead chose an optimistic president who believes France must remain progressive, tolerant and European.