Vive La France -- But...

I know I was not alone in breathing a huge sigh of relief with French President Emmanuel Macron not only beat far-right neo-Nazi Marine Le Pen, but won in a huge 17-point landslide.
 
But amid all the deserved joy and commentary about what this good news signifies, it’s important to step back and recognize some additional perspectives.
 
For one thing, as great as a 17-point landslide is, there were still 40% of the people in France who voted for the fa-right neo-Nazi Le Pen.  Now, in fairness, everyone who voted for her didn’t do so because they supported her hate-filled politics.  No doubt some just didn’t support Macron and his parties, couldn’t vote for him, and she was the only other choice.  Some might have thought France still had problems and wanted a change in the direction France was going.  Some may not pay much attention to politics and just didn’t know much about her.  Or whatever other non-far-right, non-neo-Nazi reasons.  Though to be equally fair, most probably did know and were okay with it.
 
Moreover, as great as a 17-point landslide is, Marine Le Pen’s 40% of the vote is actually up six points from when she last ran against Macron five years ago.  In fact, the 17-point margin of victory is substantively down from the 2017 election, when the margin between Macron and Le Pen was 32 points!
 
And finally, France, Macron and the world lucked out that this time when they ran against each other, Le Pen’s strong support of Putin and support by Putin (both political and financial) came at a time when the Russian butcher despot was a pariah to the world for his very-active, ongoing war crimes.  Moreover, his brutal war crimes were not for attacking a distant country meaningless to France halfway around the world, but another democratic European nation in France’s backyard – not next door, no, but still, close enough, the distance of New York to Miami. A country that has applied for admittance to the European Union.  So, criticisms of Le Pen for her closeness to Putin took on an especially impactful meaning.
 
In the end, Macron’s resounding victory over Le Pen was important and with a margin that was significant.  However, as much great pleasure and immense relief as people take from it, it’s important not to view the win as something more than it is.  It is not an end, but a foundational starting point to fortify first, and then build on.

Still, though, she didn't say the election was rigged, didn't say she really won and -- has conceded defeat. ​