Yesterday, French President Emmanuel Macron defeated his far-right challenger, Marine Le Pen, by sixteen percentage points. In the US, centrist commentators responded with glee. Progressive commentators, despite favoring Macron, reacted with alarm. Their different reactions reveal a lot about the emerging American debate over how to defend liberal democracy in the post-post Cold War age.
Supporting nato and a hard line on Ukraine seem more aligned with supporting US global dominance on behalf of oligarchs, than what is best for the people of Europe, Ukraine, Russia and the US. So, Macron seems not the best choice for French Muslims and their human rights, but also not for most humans’ rights.
Forgive me for caring far more about what France, a prominent nuclear power and one of maybe two European nations who can actually project power worldwide, does in its foreign policy than its domestic policy.
Frankly if progressives are more concerned that Melanchon didn't win: I really do not know what to tell you. Russia conquering Ukraine is a more important issue (to Americans, and frankly to the world) than the differing views of Islam from Macron compared to La Pen.
Additionally: Progressives need to learn to accept that their vision for the world is simply not as popular as they think. France also has a far more complex public square than the US does given their general opposition to religious symbols.
The French Left and Center Left eliminated themselves from the finals in the French Elections because they chose to run several individuals thus breaking up a potential strong candidates chances, in other words splitting hairs among centrists and different levels of psroessisves, Apparently some of them were away of this division and proposed a Left and Center left primary, which was rejected .
French people who don't want the retirement age to go up should vote for the National Rally and/or France Insoumise candidates in the June parliamentary elections. If they do well there's no danger they'll cut off the supply of weapons to Ukraine, but they can block the parts of Macron's domestic agenda that threaten the working class.
(And yes: left-wing voters should support Le Pen's allies over Macron's in the legislative second round, if those are the only two options remaining. Melenchon was very wrong not to endorse Macron in the presidential runoff, but this is a different situation and he'll also be wrong if he doesn't ask his supporters to vote strategically for the National Rally where necessary.)
Supporting nato and a hard line on Ukraine seem more aligned with supporting US global dominance on behalf of oligarchs, than what is best for the people of Europe, Ukraine, Russia and the US. So, Macron seems not the best choice for French Muslims and their human rights, but also not for most humans’ rights.
Forgive me for caring far more about what France, a prominent nuclear power and one of maybe two European nations who can actually project power worldwide, does in its foreign policy than its domestic policy.
Frankly if progressives are more concerned that Melanchon didn't win: I really do not know what to tell you. Russia conquering Ukraine is a more important issue (to Americans, and frankly to the world) than the differing views of Islam from Macron compared to La Pen.
Additionally: Progressives need to learn to accept that their vision for the world is simply not as popular as they think. France also has a far more complex public square than the US does given their general opposition to religious symbols.
The French Left and Center Left eliminated themselves from the finals in the French Elections because they chose to run several individuals thus breaking up a potential strong candidates chances, in other words splitting hairs among centrists and different levels of psroessisves, Apparently some of them were away of this division and proposed a Left and Center left primary, which was rejected .
French people who don't want the retirement age to go up should vote for the National Rally and/or France Insoumise candidates in the June parliamentary elections. If they do well there's no danger they'll cut off the supply of weapons to Ukraine, but they can block the parts of Macron's domestic agenda that threaten the working class.
(And yes: left-wing voters should support Le Pen's allies over Macron's in the legislative second round, if those are the only two options remaining. Melenchon was very wrong not to endorse Macron in the presidential runoff, but this is a different situation and he'll also be wrong if he doesn't ask his supporters to vote strategically for the National Rally where necessary.)