Megan McArdle, Columnist

In France, the 'Can't Lose' Candidate Pays a Price

Emmanuel Macron won by a landslide over the far-right candidate. Leading a coalition will be harder.

Emmanuel Macron won by a landslide over the far-right candidate. Leading a coalition will be harder.

Photographer: Thierry Chesnot/Getty Images
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Emmanuel Macron was the “can’t lose” candidate in the French presidential election. Impeccably well-credentialed. Handsome and sharp. Running against a far-right populist who spurs frightened talk of fascism. The polls showed him comfortably ahead, said the analysts. There was little chance that his opponent, Marine Le Pen of the National Front, could close such an enormous gap.

“Where have we heard that before?” muttered Americans.