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Huge efforts can be expected to try to discredit the 39-year-old leader and founder of En Marche (\u201cForward\u201d), the movement that during the past year has surprised the nation through its vigour, popular appeal and rapid growth. Social media, in the use of which the Front National has proved adept, will be buzzing with stories, with rumours, with accusations.<\/p>\n
Macron\u2019s opponent, Marine Le Pen, is trying to recast herself as a statesmanlike figure by leaving the leadership of her Front National, trying to channel General Charles de Gaulle as a politician above petty party politics. But this will cut little ice, since the Front National\u2019s campaign will continue to try to divide France and not unite it, to demonise and destroy Europe rather than to build it.<\/p>\n
Macron now needs both to stay cool and to stay a unifying force, a force of hope and constructive reform. His strong belief in Europe will be a vital weapon too, not as a belief in Europe for its own sake but rather as a belief that European collaboration is essential in France\u2019s own interest.<\/p>\n
No election has been more important for the future of the whole continent than this one. Europeans everywhere, even in\u00a0Brexit-obsessed Britain, are waiting anxiously for a positive result on May 7th.<\/p>\n
It is a clich\u00e9 to describe elections and other events as being \u201ca turning point\u201d but in this case it could really be true.\u00a0This is far more important than Britain\u2019s referendum last June. That decision to leave the EU\u00a0was dramatic, but\u00a0need not damage the EU fundamentally. If France were to choose\u00a0Marine Le Pen\u00a0as president it would cause catastrophic damage to the whole European Union\u00a0and to NATO too.<\/p>\n
\u200bIn The Great European Disaster Movie, we envisaged the possibility of a President Le Pen. Make no mistake: we hope this prediction will not come true.<\/p>\n
\u200bEven if, as we hope, France elects President Macron instead, the dangers facing Europe will not be over. He will need to deliver results, of better lives for all French citizens, of new hope and opportunity, if the 2022 election is not again to present the possibility of President Le Pen.<\/p>\n
\u200bThe need, in France as in Italy, Germany, Spain and all its neighbours, will be for a programme of inclusive reform that releases the great energies of creativity that currently lie trapped, while preserving and extending the sense of equality, security and social trust that have been such an important achievement in past decades.<\/p>\n
By Bill Emmott<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Huge efforts can be expected to try to discredit the 39-year-old leader and founder of En Marche (\u201cForward\u201d), the movement that during the past year has surprised the nation through its vigour, popular appeal and rapid growth. Social media, in the use of which the Front National has proved adept, will be buzzing with stories, […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":454,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[83],"tags":[153,152,148],"class_list":["post-453","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-democracy","tag-election","tag-emmanuel-macron","tag-france"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n