world

Macron, Le Pen trade barbs in French election race

19 Comments
By John Irish

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Click For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

19 Comments
Login to comment

Oedipus Macron is what he is, a Left Socialist who was an economy minister of the highly popular Hollande(le sexy chien), an elitist Rothschild financier. In other words, the Manchurian candidate for the globalist elites who tell others what to think and believe. If the media and elitists(redundant?) keep pushing the neophyte as the ideal candidate, the good people may actually vote against him and for Le Stylo ou Le Crayon.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Emmanuel Macron, has what appears to be an unassailable lead over Marine Le Pen, over twenty points.

Yet yesterday again Emmanuel Macron campaign team were caught off guard.  Emmanuel Macron need his campaign volunteers and activists camped outside following Le Pen every move 24/7. Whilst Emmanuel Macron was in the chamber of commerce building conferencing with Whirlpool tumble dryer factory management, Le Pen was out on the picket line piling on the scorn...

“Everyone knows what side Emmanuel Macron is on – he is on the side of the corporations. I am on the workers’ side, here in the car park, not in restaurants in Amiens.” She added: “He’s showing disdain for workers, so I’ve come to see them.”

Marine Le Pen springs surprise visit on Macron during picket line campaign trip....

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/26/marine-le-pen-springs-surprise-visit-on-macron-during-picket-line-campaign-trip

Emmanuel Macron needs to distance his campaign from comparisons with champagne socialism, lose the expensive suits, and soften that corporate image.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

I do know is that come September the French (either students, nurses, retirees, coppers, public servants, farmers - take your pick) will take to the streets to kill X or Y reform in its infancy.

Very plausible scenario. But the matter is that Le Pen Is much better prepared for such inevitable occasions. She is a very capable politician, in ten years she transformed FN from a fringe small party into a major political force, she know how to make deals and find compromise.

Macron is nothing like her. He is just a filthy rich boy from the Fat Cats Club. No real political experience, no real support base, he is only an emergency candidat of the Establishment, socialists and republicans who support him now will turn on him immediately after May 7. And without any meaningful political skills and support base he, if elected, would be the weakest president of France in history, even worse then the present disaster, Francois "The Empty Space" Hollande. He has no coherent plan of action or original ideas, he only repeats the same neoliberal mantra - exactly the same stuff that landed France in the very unenviable situation it is now.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Maybe she is the person that the French want, if not, she would never have gotten this far. Only time will tell. She may well be the person the people really want.

It's a possibility. Perso am not 'that' worried by Le Pen as I know that France and the French as a ppl would not accept any 'extreme' policies, from anyone. Becoming president of a country like France doesn't mean you have carte blanche to do whatever you want, quite the contrary actually. Many (am one of them) often complain that france is unreformable and even, as De Gaulle once famously said, "ungovernable'. Demonstrating is a national sport, all govts have tried, in vain, to implement reforms and it would be no different (imo even worse) with Le Pen unless she imposes martial law which would make things even worse.

Dunno who will win in 2 weeks time but what I do know is that come September the French (either students, nurses, retirees, coppers, public servants, farmers - take your pick) will take to the streets to kill X or Y reform in its infancy. MLP president would just mean more chaos and earlier in her tenure (roughly a day after she's been elected perhaps ;). No one can 'unify' nor reform France and certainly not MLP.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Macron is more of the same banker-backed scum. Seeing how Le Pen is attacked by the usual gatekeepers, I think she is exactly what the French people need.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Marine Le Pen will attempt to move towards the center. Attitude and language will soften work with, instead of rail against the European Union. Focus will be on offering a referendum for French continued EU membership, whilst questioning French commitment to the single currency. Thus emphasizing a choice, a compromise politically. Marine Le Pen for France, France is Le Pen will be the hook, the French Tricolore always in attendance.  

Marine Le Pen made sure a camera and film crew were on hand straight after the results of the first round were confirmed. A studio prepared to harangue the arrogant Macron, the out of touch Rothschild investment banker, lapping up the expensive bubbly and congratulations at a arranged champagne reception. See the association?

Le Pen will link together, Macron, globalization, bank failure, inexperience, establishment puppet, the EU's French errand boy and remorselessly hammer that message home.     

Emmanuel Macron, would be wise to study Barack Obama style carefully. Obama body language, Obama oratory skills, Obama demeanor, above all Obama's effective ability to communicating his beliefs with confidence and clarity. Where one likes or loathes Obama, as a political force Obama is the real deal.

In that paragraph I mentioned Obama by name on seven occasions alongside his so called qualities as a politician. This is the same tactics that Le Pen will deploy, Le Pen will make sure when interviewed or campaigning, Only the Le Pen brand can be associated with French ideals.

Emmanuel Macron better be ready and shrewd enough to lead, because Le Pen is no walkover.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The globalists are nervous. And they should be.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Macron absolutely cannot mess this up so there is definitely no room for complacency or arrogance. Luckily it looks as if France is rallying around the legitimate candidate as it did when Le Pen senior reached the second round a few cycles ago.

Trump a total disaster, as everyone predicted. Brexit hasn't reached that stage yet in terms of timetable but the Exit vote was built on lies and it cannot end well. So yes, France is in a position to benefit from these 'experiments' and dodge the bullet.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

The French need to take a lesson from the failed US Trump experiment, and Brexit

Brexit and Trump a failure??? Give it another year and then we should know more. A few months doesn't tell the story. It's like going on a vacation and just because you didn't get your first drink with a little umbrella, you say the resort sucks. Rome wasn't built in a day.

-- complacency at the polls only results in a loss for everyone. EVERYONE who wants that bigot LaPen in will vote. People who want someone else better vote or she may well win.

Maybe she is the person that the French want, if not, she would never have gotten this far. Only time will tell. She may well be the person the people really want.

-3 ( +6 / -9 )

To fully understand Macron's comment, you also need to go back a few months earlier to when Sarkozy was claiming that the Gauls were the ancestors of all French citizens. It caused a huge media storm at the time and probably sank his campaign. Historian after historian was rolled out on TV to remind people that Gauls were just one of many ancient populations that modern French people are descended from.

Anybody in France at the time listening to Macron's comments would have made the Sarkozy connection, but it does sound a bit 'globalist' now, many months later and out of context.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

itsonlyrocknroll, kurisu77 - thank you for the explanation.            

 'arrogant, having no love for France'

I think she'll be right with this description. Macron is just another colorless, faceless international banker with no real passion for France (he really does not care much in what country to make his money).

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

The French need to take a lesson from the failed US Trump experiment, and Brexit -- complacency at the polls only results in a loss for everyone. EVERYONE who wants that bigot LaPen in will vote. People who want someone else better vote or she may well win.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

@Asakaze, He said there is not one French culture but multiple ones. Anyway it was really badly said.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Hi Asakaze, the context was in commentary/reference to Canadian Prime Minsters Justin Trudeau.. 'Canada has no core culture'

The broadcast compared Le Pen and Macron differing views on European integration and French identity. Maybe not directly unpatriotic. However, Le Pen will waste little time in portraying Macron as a slave to globalism, to quote 'arrogant, having no love for France'

3 ( +5 / -2 )

A disaster for the French and all of Europe if somehow she was to win the election. Time for the voters to wake up and get out.

If she wins, it's a clear indicator and a clear message that the people are sick and tired of all the legal policies and EU policies as well as the breakdown of failed immigration policies.

-4 ( +6 / -10 )

French culture does not exist”....

He said that? It is not only unpatriotic, but plain stupid, France's culture is among the richest in Europe. Macron does not know the country he wants to represent. Instead of elections he should go to the school.

-3 ( +6 / -9 )

 and was in fact the "candidate of the people" fighting the "candidate of the oligarchy."

Aren't all/most western democracies 'oligarchies' these days, the biggest one being the US?

So we have an oligarch vs an authoritarian national socialist (some sort of French Erdogan).

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Emmanuel Macron, if not careful, could present Marine Le Pen, a ruthless experienced political operator the means to close the gap. French media channels are broadcasting Emmanuel Macron comments and speeches some could be interpreted as unpatriotic ,“French culture does not exist”....

Also right up until the last vote is counted refrain from reciting speeches in English.  In an election for the next President of France, the beauty, panache acquainted with the "language of love" portrays a 'national identity' nobility.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites