The French election has finally been resolved. Marine Le Pen certainly had established politics shaking in their boots, but France turned away from the rise of populism and elected Emmanuel Macron. With this vote, the French made a statement about where they stand on current issues, and leftists around the world have celebrated.
What you may not hear about is the reality facing those issues. Let’s take a look at what the French have sacrificed in order to keep to liberal ideals.
Relief from Corruption
Populism has risen across the globe in the past two years, and in every country the story is the same. Established mainstream politicians show an increasing affinity for ever more blatant corruption. Fed up, the people largely vote for a party outsider to upend the whole system. It happened in Britain. It happened in the U.S. It started to happen in France.
As bad as things have seemed here over the years, the corruption in France reached such extremes that embezzling millions of tax dollars for personal use stopped being news worthy. This was the backbone of Le Pen’s rise in the presidential election, and it was the most cited reason voters favored her in a number of polls. In the end, France elected another mainstream candidate, and the hope for stemming the tide of corruption has all but disappeared.
Employment
Here’s another story that will sound familiar. Blue collar jobs have largely disappeared, and after a decade of stagnant job growth, the people have stopped believing in left-wing economic policies. While you may be nodding your head in agreement, the situation in France has been much worse than the U.S.
Even today, national unemployment in France is in the double digits. Leftist policies have failed to make a dent in the problem for a very long time now, and this is why Le Pen’s threats to change France’s standing in the EU were so popular. A break from the current political course is the only way to resolve the issue, and that chance is now gone.
Macron is an overt centralist, and you can easily predict how that will impact the French economy. Unless another major player in the EU annihilates the status quo, France will continue to suffer under the yoke of EU policies.
Security
While corruption and economics have been French issues that largely flew under the radar internationally, the whole world has watched the rise in terrorism in France. The country has suffered more Jihadist attacks than any other NATO or EU member, and the death toll and destruction have been devastating. The French people are rightly afraid of when, where, and how extreme the next attack will be.
Apparently, that fear still wasn’t enough to shake their apathy. While their voter turnout was around 74 percent, more than a third of presidential ballots were blank or write-ins. The French people bought into the media hyperbole and abandoned the opportunity for reform that would better protect them from the raging onslaught of terrorist attacks. They have chosen the risk of death over an unfair condemnation of xenophobia.
Honest Media
Why would they believe a vote for Le Pen represents xenophobia? It all boils down to the media blitz. The same narratives you saw directed at Trump were also levied against Le Pen. Her desire to secure borders and prevent terrorist attacks was branded as racist xenophobia, and, unfortunately, the French voters proved less resistant to this propaganda than their British and American counterparts.
Mainstream media in the U.S. and Western Europe have suffered major blows to their influence and ego over the last 12 months or so. As their power diminished, their desperate attempts to remain in control would be comical if they weren’t so destructive. Unfortunately, they see Macron’s win as their own, and this will galvanize their efforts. The inevitable downfall of corrupt media is still apparent, but French voters have delayed that final date for the whole world.
France made its choice. Most of the consequences will be suffered by their people, but rippling effects will resonate throughout Europe. Even here we’ll have to put up with negative backlash born of French apathy. In the end, it’s only a setback. Trump and those willing to work with him will still redraw many political lines, and the status quo is already breaking. It was clearly a mistake to hope for a sensible response from the French in the first place.
~ American Liberty Report
