Last Sunday (24 April), the sigh of relief could be heard all over Europe. France had elected the EU-friendly democrat, instead of an authoritarian, EU-hostile, ally of Putin.
The liberal centrist Emmanuel Macron was re-elected and the far-right candidate Marine Le Pen was out of the game —or so the narrative went.
But the game is not over: Macron’s opponents are now mobilising for June’s legislative polls in the hope of making a lame duck out of the president — and hinder his plans for a stronger EU.
Sunday night — and Monday morning
On a big screen in front of the Eiffel Tower, images of the two remaining candidates were projected: Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen. The crowd stood silent as the sound of a pounding heart accompanied the countdown. At 8PM sharp, only one candidate was left: Macron.
The DJ put on Daft Punk’s One more time, and the crowd cheered and waved both their French and their EU-flags. Macron, a wholeheartedly pro-European president (and who had promised to be even more so this time) had won one more time. Soon after the disco music, the EU anthem Ode to Joy was played. Just like in 2017.
