Why France’s Election Matters For All Of Us | The Mehdi Hasan Show

A far-right, Putin-praising, Islamophobia-spewing, anti-immigrant and nationalist-views pushing candidate is getting another chance at becoming president. And, no, Mehdi is *not* talking about Donald Trump. Former French ambassador to the U.S. Gérard Araud and French legal scholar Rim-Sarah Alouane join Mehdi to discuss France's Marine Le Pen and the mainstreaming of extremist views in global politics.

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#MSNBC #France #MarineLePen

[Ana-bntw]

Has democracy been so easy for the public that we were bored into bringing crazy into our lives, country, politics

[kingstowntan]

“I was the CIA director. We lied, we cheated, we stole… we had entire training courses." - Mike Pompeo

[lindaaphillippi]

FRENCH CITIZENS—-please vote for the more sane candidate! For all our sakes

[hhKJgfMarzthP]

Ne vous laissez pas prendre par les promesses populistes de l'ami de Poutine. Les populistes proposent souvent des solutions simples et instantanées à des problèmes très complexes.

[helengarrett]

Ugh! The world is in disarray. This is worse than terrible. When will our people stand up and demand chnge at home and when will Europe's people do the same? Is democracy dead?

[marianlim]

Is she not a Putin stooge? She even asked for an audience with him, for help, while a candidate the last time.

[gillesmatheronpro]

Good analysis from the former Ambassador. Yes, a fair share of voters are chosing "despite of", and will vote against instead of voting for. Macron, during his five years in Presidency did good an bad in debatable proportions.
I am a strong defender of democracy and republican spirit, son of a journalist awarded "Major reporter" and a freelance journalist myself, that made me observe (for 40 years now) as precisely as possible what happens in France. And yes, the "system" is being feared by a large amount of French citizens.
What your chronicle fails to mention is the 3rd placer, Jean-Luc Melenchon. A former minister and veteran of politics, he now leads the "insoumis" (hard to pronouce... c'est la vie !) party, one he created himself less than ten years ago, situated between far-left and classical-left. But don't consider your own references, French politics are rooted far deeper than US ones, it would not make much sense. This party gathers many former communist voters (when others have flown towards Jean-Marie le Pen, then Marine her daughter), and lots of "disappointed" by former socialist-led and center-oriented governments. He received 22% of votes for the first round of Presidential elections, which is considerable, and missed second round by 1, 1% only. So, he now stands in a position of "peace judge" as his voters shall have to chose who to vote for. During his first speech after first round, he stated (and repeated it 4 times !) : "Two weeks from now, not a single vote for Marine le Pen !". This makes for his own people to be left between abstaining or voting for E. Macron, and some will chose first option, for they refuse to endorse what current President has done during the last five years.
Most recent polls indicate 1/3 of his voters will chose Macron, mostly to block the extreme-right to seize highest position, when about 2/3 shall consider abstaining. But those polls proved wrong (in USA too, many times before), and they should be considered with caution. What happens previously (as you mentionned, but also in French local and regional elections) is a fair share of voters will finally set their minds in blocking le Pen from being elected. It happended to the father in 2002 and to the daughter in 2017.
One last detail, so no one gets confused... in France, the President is elected through citizen's voting. There is no "representation" level, each elector votes and each ballot is expressed directly. This is "direct universal voting".

[louiswilson]

Voting has always been between the Lesser Of Two Evils, just now it's the Evil & then there's that other guy ! - Vote for your Rights & Vote for your Right to Vote ! - Sounds Democratic, don't it ? - Hmmm !

[douglaspate]

Very well said Ambassador with reference to the other countries including Spain. Spain has gone further and further right and is getting very close to a fascist state (was it ever not after Franco?) controlled by one person in Madrid

[nightsider]

Everything this guy said makes me like this woman more and more

[worldcitizeng]

I was in Paris the night Nicholas Sacosi won, it was insane. I hardly speak French, just a tourist who accidentally witnessed the French election night.
This time I hope church bells 🔔 will be ringing for democracy 🙏

[Hajnal-owzi]

This lady is lying. Darmanin was being ironic and she knows it.

[survivingchicago]

1 o’clock in the morning on Monday and France and still no updates on the election…. Do you know what that means boys the fix is in

[mszccmj]

I'm voting tomorrow in New York for Marcon

[russellnolan]

People want better! Is different better? Feelings matter! They feel nothing is getting better and things are changing! Learning vs. Feeling. Feeling is quicker and bolder!

[sionnachmacbradaigh]

The French will not allow this to happen.

[terrencekane]

A vote for Le Pen is a vote for Le Putin. Please, France, vote for Macron. Vote for democracy. From America. 🇺🇸

[mszccmj]

France will not fall to the far right cause we are not idiots

[pchapman]

No it’s a French problem at the moment. What about ism at its finest

[Tcb]

Imagine when Ron DeSantis is President of the United States.