France on the brink.

[Workingman]

National Rally (RN) won 33% of the first round vote The total for all right-wing parties was 45.41%. This has given the media real headache as it does not know how to define them: hard-right; far-right; centre-right or just right.

Meanwhile on the left its total share is 51.43% but they are not as cohesive as a group as those on the right. And there are still quite a few "others" who are not aligned either way.

Next Sunday's run-off looks like delivering a hung parliament and because Ensemble and the New Popular Front are not the best of friends the right wing grouping could get in. It is all going to get very tactical as unlike most run-offs where the choice is between just two factions this time there will be over 300 three-way ties.

Macron tried a 'Theresa May' with his snap election and it has gone the same way as her misadventure. Let the horse trading begin.

[medsec222]

After seeing Rishi Sunak plunge head first into a disaterous snap election, perhaps Macron should have erred on the side of caution. Well they do say fools rush in!

[Suff]

Macron didn't really have a choice, getting wiped out in the EU elections in France is ten times as damaging as it was to UK government parties. The French take their EU vote seriously and as an indicator of the sentiment of the people. Had Macron ignored it he could have wound up with a second yellow vest nightmare but even more damaging.

[Workingman]

Macron didn't really have a choice...

But he did not have to go for a sprint. It prevented any alliance of the left and the centre to form due to the timeframe. He totally forgot that the right, and especially the RN, campaign 24/7, 365/365 year-on-year. It is what they have always done.

The rest are a broad church with slightly different aims and goals and always need to negotiate and compromise. He screwed up.

[cromwell]

The far left and Maron's mates are already organising to stop Le Pen, with leftists and Macron's crowd agreeing not to stand against eack other in some constituencies.
Isn't democracy grand?

[Suff]

Macron didn't really have a choice...

But he did not have to go for a sprint. It prevented any alliance of the left and the centre to form due to the timeframe. He totally forgot that the right, and especially the RN, campaign 24/7, 365/365 year-on-year. It is what they have always done.

The rest are a broad church with slightly different aims and goals and always need to negotiate and compromise. He screwed up.

Because the election is in two rounds, they can adjust based on the voting in the first round. So he doesn't lose too much. Also he is already appointing senior government officials without waiting for the result of the election and also pushing for winners of minority votes in the EU election to get senior roles in the EU.

If he subverts the vote the French are quite able to hold their anger for another 5 years.

[Suff]

The far left and Maron's mates are already organising to stop Le Pen, with leftists and Macron's crowd agreeing not to stand against eack other in some constituencies.
Isn't democracy grand?

The appearance of choice has been the game for some time now.

[cromwell]

The far left and Maron's mates are already organising to stop Le Pen, with leftists and Macron's crowd agreeing not to stand against eack other in some constituencies.
Isn't democracy grand?

The appearance of choice has been the game for some time now.

Sometimes the truth rings clear like a bell.

If you vote for the Conservatives, or Labour, or the Greens, or the LibDems, you are voting for:-
Mass immigration
Net zero
More wokery
Globalism.

If any party starts offering anything else, they are ruthlessly attacked.
We have the illusion of choice, but not the reality.

[medsec222]

Correct Cromwell. The only time Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer are in agreement is when they are attacking Nigel Farage and Reform.

[Workingman]

<TIC>I much prefer the Cuban, Russian, Chinese and N. Korean versions of democracy, none of this "choice" nonsense with them. Just make your mark in the one box provided and away you go. And the best thing about them is that their "voters" don't have any of these fake TV debates to contend with. If they don't like the outcome they get another chance in five years</TIC>