Macron defeats the far-right and pledges change

Le Pen concedes defeat Macron hails victory but pledges change Leaders across Europe sigh with relief Opposition turns focus to parliamentary elections in June

PARIS (Reuters) – Emmanuel Macron defeated far-right rival Marine Le Pen on Sunday, causing a political earthquake in Europe, but acknowledged his dissatisfaction with his first term and said he would seek to fix the situation.

His supporters erupted in glee when the results appeared on a giant screen in the Champ de Mars, next to the Eiffel Tower.

Leaders in Berlin, Brussels, London and beyond welcomed his defeat of a Eurosceptic nationalist Le Pen.

Register now to get free unlimited access to Reuters.com

Register

But even as polls showed 58.5% of the vote, Macron acknowledged in his victory speech that many voted for him only to keep Le Pen out, and promised to address the feeling of many French people that their standards of living were declining.

“A lot of people in this country voted for me not because they support my ideas but to drive away the ideas of the far right,” he said. “I want to thank them and know that I owe them a debt in the years to come.”

“No one in France will be left by the wayside,” he said in a message already published by senior ministers who toured French television stations.

Two years of pandemic turmoil and rising energy prices exacerbated by the Ukraine war have pushed economic issues to the fore in the campaign. The rising cost of living has become an increasing pressure on the country’s poorest.

“He has to be closer to people and listen to them,” digital sales employee Virginie, 51, said at Macron’s rally, adding that he needed to overcome a reputation for arrogance and toned down a leadership style that Macron himself called “Jupiteran.”

Le Pen, who at one point in the election campaign trailed Macron by a few points in the polls, quickly conceded defeat. But she has vowed to keep fighting with parliamentary elections in June.

“Marines… Marines!” she told her supporters, chanting.

Macron can expect little or no slack in a country whose stark political divisions were brought to the fore in elections in which extremist parties fared well. Many expect the street protests that marred part of his first term to erupt again as he presses pro-business reforms. Read more

“There will be continuity in the government’s policy because the president has been re-elected,” Health Minister Olivier Veran said. But we also heard the message of the French people.”

Supporters of French President Emmanuel Macron, a candidate for re-election, react after the results of the second round of the 2022 French presidential election are announced, near the Eiffel Tower, at the Champs-de-Mars in Paris, April 24, 2022. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

Read more

How Macron’s prices will now depend on the looming parliamentary elections. Le Pen wants a national alliance in a move that raises the possibility of her working with far-right rivals like Eric Zemmour and her niece Marion Marechal.

Hard-left Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who has emerged as the most powerful force on the left in French politics, has said he deserves to be prime minister – something that would force Macron into an embarrassing and recession-prone “coexistence”.

said Philippe Lagro, 63, artistic director of the Théâtre de Paris, who voted for Macron in the run-off after supporting Mélenchon in the first round.

Outside France, Macron’s victory has been hailed as a postponement of mainstream politics that has been shaken in recent years by Brexit, the 2016 election of Donald Trump and the rise of a new generation of nationalist leaders.

“Bravo Emmanuel,” European Council President Charles Michel wrote on Twitter. “In this turbulent period, we need a strong Europe and France fully committed to a more sovereign and strategic European Union.”

“Financial markets will breathe a collective sigh of relief after Macron’s election victory,” said Sima Shah, chief strategist at Principal Global Investors.

The disappointment with Macron was reflected in the abstention rate expected to stabilize around 28%, the highest rate since 1969.

The initial poll showed that the vote was sharply divided by age and socioeconomic status: two-thirds of working-class voters supported Le Pen, while similar proportions of CEOs and pensioners backed Macron, an Elaby poll showed.

Macron won about 59% of the vote of young people aged 18 to 24 with votes split almost evenly in the other age groups.

During the campaign, Le Pen focused on the high cost of living and Macron’s sometimes tough style as his weakest points.

It promised steep fuel tax cuts, a zero percent sales tax on essentials from pasta to nappies, income waivers for young workers, and a “first French” stance on jobs and welfare.

“I was shocked to see that the majority of French wanted to re-elect a president who had looked down on them for five years,” said Adrien Caligiuri, a 27-year-old project manager, at Le Pen’s rally.

Meanwhile, Macron noted Le Pen’s past admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, showing that she cannot be trusted on the world stage, while insisting that she still has plans to withdraw France from the European Union, something he denies. Read more

Register now to get free unlimited access to Reuters.com

Register

Additional reporting by Michelle Rose, Lee Thomas, and Jose Trombes. Written by Mark John and Ingrid Melander; Editing by Frances Kerry, Raisa Kasulowski, Alexandra Hudson and Sandra Mahler

Our Standards: Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos