"The fresh face of pro-EU liberalism swept to power the following year on a promise of radical change to bring France into the 21st century. Eight years on, with France engulfed by political crisis and with no obvious way to break the gridlock, Macron's lofty ambitions have aged poorly. Francois Bayrou, who entered politics before the president was born, has become the third prime minister to resign in the space of a year."
"It is hard to avoid the conclusion that Macron's disruptive hubris has returned to bite him. Posing as the only champion of reasonable politics, he acted as a populist black hole, gobbling up ideas, politicians and voters, left and right. But now, only 15% of the French electorate say they trust him. The other 85% have nowhere obvious to go but the extremes."
Emmanuel Macron rose in 2017 promising to discard traditional party politics and unite progressive reformers behind a pro-EU liberal agenda to modernize France. Eight years later France faces political crisis, repeated prime ministerial resignations, and a paralyzed budget that undermines Macron's domestic agenda and international influence, including leadership of support for Ukraine. Macron’s centrism absorbed ideas and voters from left and right but failed to build durable trust; only 15% of the electorate express trust in him while 85% drift toward political extremes. Marine Le Pen’s support has strengthened despite legal troubles, reflecting a polarized political landscape.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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