French Election

Hollande has just announced support for Macron.

It was quite a big deal when he was appointed to the government from outside the socialist party and the reforms were bound to be unpopular.
I think he will want to get rid of a lot more business red tape and attract a lot of post Brexit high tech and banking from London.
I think his government would be a centrist mix and Bayrou who is sort of Lib Dem-ish is supporting him too. The German governments have these sort of coalitions I think.

From Wiki

A member of the Socialist Party (PS) from 2006 to 2009, Macron was appointed as deputy secretary-general under François Hollande's first government in 2012. He was appointed Minister of Economy, Industry and Digital Affairs in 2014 under the Second Valls Government,[1] where he pushed through business-friendly reforms. He resigned in August 2016[2] to launch a bid in the 2017 presidential election.[3] In November 2016, Macron declared that he would run in the election under the banner of En Marche!, a centrist[4] political movement he founded in April 2016. He qualified for the runoff after the first round of the election on 23 April 2017.

Macron has worked with Socialist governments and surely it follows he will take a few from the Socialist Party with him. That's why it ' could' turn out to be a the same old, same old but under a different banner.

I am interested to be told otherwise as I have nothing more than a hunch so please if anybody 'knows' who is joining with Macron to run his party if in government I am genuinely interested to know.

Here's a map of the main candidates' majorities:
www.thelocal.fr/20170423/interactive-map-of-the-2017-french-presidential-election
Surprising that the Dordogne went to Melenchon.

POGS he was in the socialist party from 2006-2009 and then resigned. He was a minister during Hollande's presidency, but was brought in from outside. He put through some business reforms which were unpopular (but necessary in my opinion). He resigned in 2016 to form En Marche. He is thought to get on with Prime Minister Valls who is now supporting him.
I guess it is a bit like the UK government bringing in ministers from business and industry.

I have just picked up on this thread, and been watching the French newscasts since late last night. Juppe was considered too old to be president, so much for saying Macron is too young! (and radicalnan, we have had a very good winter with lots of sun, and a hot spring so Macron and his wife wouldn't have needed sunlamps!) I am so fingers crossed that it will be Macron, I think he will but weren't we all so wrong about Brexit and Trump! Macron now has the backing of Bayrou, Hamon and Fillon, plus Valls and Juppe, so across the board. It would be difficult to think he won't win.

Le Pen only has two FN seats in the Assemblie Nationale, so in the parliamentary elections in June she is not likely to do at all well, thus if she were to be President then her excesses would be curtailed by parliament, similar to Trump in US.

We are on the borders of Aude and Ariege, one is FN and the other Melanchon. I'm keeping my head down!!

I thought it was just Hollande.

Mamie

I thought Macron held government positions with both Holland's and Manuel Valls.?

Have I made a mistake?

He is left wing compared to our Government, as is Merkel and most of the European governments.

He was only in the socialist party for three years though POGS. He wasn't in the party when he was a Minister. I think Tony Blair is probably about the nearest match in outlook and policies but that isn't remotely left-wing in France.

I don't particularly think of Macron as an Outsider. He was in government after all under Hollande as a Socialist Party member.

I am interested to see how he forms his party, with whom and if they are , dare I say it, from his old party for the most part , the Socialist Party.

I think under Macron it could well turn out to be the same old, same old but under a different banner.

Interesting that Jupeé was out of it all so early when he had looked quite strong at one point.

Although Marine Le Pen has been in politics for some years she has never been in Govt. Macron was a finance minister in Hollande's Govt.
Their ideas are completely opposite so will be interesting to see if he does get elected.

I honestly don't think it is about "more security". I think people recognise that terrorism is a very complex problem and one that has much to do with France's colonial past.

I think he will win roses but I don't think it is as simple as that. I think Fillon was set for victory before the financial scandal. I think the PS are very unpopular after Hollande and Hamon was the wrong candidate. I had to teach my English class the phrase "least worst option". I think that describes how quite a lot of people think.

Quite understandably I think the French people have taken such a battering from the terrorists that they think a change of government might offer more security, and no one could blame them for that.

I think Macron will win, the people are voting for an outsider, a change in French politics.

I second that POGS

That shouldn't be necessary!!!

Nana191729 could always start her own very civilised thread, and only invite civilised people to comment, digest and respond in a civilised manner.

That was in response to Mamie's question about Sunday elections.

Yes.

mamie I think he is very much from the establishment. In fact he seems in some way like a French Tony Blair.

I also think that with Juppé and Valls supporting him that Macron will be able to get sufficient support from to form a government.
Just out of interest do people think Sunday elections would be a good idea in the UK?

I am a bit bemused about Macron being described as not from the establishment. Sciences Po and ENA. Really?