20 Minutes.
The French presidential election has delivered a clear win to Emmanuel Macron. With an estimated 65.8% of the votes going to Macron, compared to 34.2% to Marine Le Pen, he is France’s new president. At the same time the election brought the highest rate of protest votes since 1969. 26% of voters abstained and 9% handed in a blank form.
En direct | Emmanuel Macron va prendre la parole sur l’esplanade du Louvre https://t.co/cou0PHPRKs
— Le Monde Politique (@lemonde_pol) May 7, 2017
Doris Leuthard, Switzerland’s president, said: “On behalf of the Swiss government I congratulate Mr Macron on his election as president of the French Republic. Switzerland and France are linked by a common language and shared values of liberty and democracy. Based on this I am convinced that we will continue our good neighbourly relationship and that our two countries will pursue and deepen our stable and positive cooperation.”
La #PrésidenteCH Doris #Leuthard félicite @EmmanuelMacron pour son élection. pic.twitter.com/Todhju4fnB
— André Simonazzi (@BR_Sprecher) May 7, 2017
According to comments reported by 20 Minutes, Swiss parliamentarian Fathi Derder (PLR / FDP), said the result was excellent news for France, Europe and Switzerland. The question now is whether Mr Macron will be able to obtain a majority in the national assembly or whether he will have to negotiate everything piece by piece like in Switzerland. Although Derder does not think this would be catastrophic. It could aid dialogue and be positive for relations with France’s parliament, she thinks.
Dominique de Buman (PDC) thinks it will be difficult for the new president to achieve a large centre over 50% in the national assembly. He wonders whether Mr Macron will be able to create sustained momentum. At the same time he thinks a fair number are tired of the rift between left and right and that there is a generation that feels a need to reshape France’s politics.
Yves Nidegger, a Swiss parliamentarian and member of the Swiss People’s Party (UDC / SVP), voiced pessimism. He thinks it will be very difficult for Mr Macron to successfully reform France economically and socially. “Legislators will follow their old instincts and oppose the left and the right. This is going to leave one third of the country orphaned, which is going to continue to blight the country’s politics. I think we are heading toward the self-destruction of the fifth republic.”
More on this:
20 Minutes article (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
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