, Columnist
Why Macron's Rising and May's Falling
Both Theresa May and Emmanuel Macron were defined by their approach to taking risks.
Defining moment.
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Once a dominant force in her country’s politics, British Prime Minister Theresa May looks increasingly like a lame duck leader, while French President Emmanuel Macron just swept the legislative elections in his country. Comparing the two leaders’ styles goes a long way to showing why one is up and the other down, especially their response to two dramatic events that threatened to upend their political career: the Whirlpool factory strike for Emmanuel Macron, and the tragic Grenfell Tower fire for Theresa May.
Often, a simple moment or news cycle can cement for the electorate a sense of a leader’s character and values. The way that a leader chooses to respond to an unplanned, unfolding situation can be very revealing.