Lionel Laurent, Columnist

Macron’s Win Is an Opportunity for France and the EU

But without a change in governing style, the risk of another polarizing election standoff won’t go away.

April 25, 2022 at 3:24 AM UTC

Lionel Laurent is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist writing about the future of money and the future of Europe. Previously, he was a reporter for Reuters and Forbes.

Emmanuel Macron dominates the center to win.
Photographer: Nathan Laine/Bloomberg

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In 2017, France bucked the populist trend by voting for Emmanuel Macron against europhobic Marine Le Pen. In 2022, it has done so again – just as Slovenia looks set to eject its nationalist leader.

An overwhelming display of pro-EU values? Not quite. Macron’s lead is narrower than last time – around 58%, rather than 66% — and turnout was at its lowest in decades. Voter fatigue runs high.