Macron’s second term

Emmanuel MACRON’S re-election as the French President is good news for France, Europe and the world at large. In his victory speech, Macron has been candid enough to admit that many people who voted for him did so only to block his main opponent, far-Right leader Marine Le Pen, and not because they supported his ideas. His second term is expected to be even more turbulent than the first, with his reform plans — including a controversial one to raise the minimum age for pension — set to face stiff resistance from the Opposition as well as the masses. Macron has no time to enjoy his hard-earned triumph as the parliamentary elections are coming up in June. In the larger context, however, his re-election has brought relief to European leaders who believed that Le Pen posed a major threat to the unity and integrity of the European Union (EU).

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The defeat of the Right in France has ensured stability and continuity in Europe, which the troubled continent badly needed in the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine war that has entered the third month. Had Le Pen come to power, she would have caused an upheaval due to her misgivings about EU, NATO and France’s key ally, the US. In the worst-case scenario, she might have pushed her country to the brink of ‘Frexit’, even as the global economic crisis triggered by the Covid pandemic has shown that no nation can afford to pursue a policy of isolationism.

The 20th century was witness to the havoc wreaked around the globe by the disturbances in Europe, notably the two World Wars. Reining in extremist leanings is vital for safeguarding peace and harmony in the 21st century. And India has every reason to be pleased with the outcome of the French elections. The ties between New Delhi and Paris have gone from strength to strength during the tenure of Macron and his predecessor, Francois Hollande, particularly in the defence and energy sectors, and the relationship has the potential to scale new heights over the next five years.