You know Your Survival Guy is on the ground in Paris today after Saturday’s heavy riots and looting. With the nation’s presidential elections coming up, The Wall Street Journal’s editors think whichever left-leaning politician can best use the riots to their advantage may end up facing Marine Le Pen in the second round of the elections. They write:
The riots are ostensibly about declining public services, but the presidential election next April figures into the protest calculations. Marine Le Pen of the insurgent right National Rally is leading in current presidential polls. Mr. Mélenchon is in a three-way tie with two candidates on the center-left.
The race now is to see who can emerge from the first round of voting to get to the two candidate runoff, probably against Ms. Le Pen. If the riots help Mr. Mélenchon consolidate support on the left, he could be the one. If the riots move more center-right voters away from the centrist candidates and toward Ms. Le Pen, Mr. Mélenchon may figure he has a fighting chance to become the next President in the May runoff.
If that sounds cynical, this is French politics, which hasn’t been this volatile in many years, perhaps not since 1968. President Emmanuel Macron has had his economic reform agenda blocked and is a spent political force. The National Assembly is in gridlock and can’t pass an annual budget as the parties maneuver for next year’s election.
The parties of the right and left see a rare opportunity to use the moment to gain the Élysée Palace. It’s no coincidence that some protesters came uncomfortably close to the palace before police dispersed them.
Action Line: It would appear that French voters are at a fork in the road and will be forced to choose a direction, though perhaps they would rather not. Click here to subscribe to my free monthly Survive & Thrive letter.
