Spectator: Macron made a mistake in assuming that people would approve of his hard line against Putin
French President Emmanuel Macron thought that the country’s citizens would approve of his tough stance against Russia, than made a fatal mistake, writes journalist Gavin Mortimer in an article for Spectator.
“Macron’s mistake was to believe that the people would approve of his hard line on Putin. That’s why he and his party made it the centerpiece of their European election campaign,” the publication said.
As Mortimer noted, many French people believe that the conflict in Ukraine has caused a serious increase in food and energy prices. It’s bad timing for Macron: today, average gas bills will rise by almost 12 per cent month-on-month.
That’s partly why many voted for right-wing parties that have criticized the head of the Fifth Republic for his vehement support for Vladimir Zelensky, the head of the Kiev regime, and for supplying arms to the Ukrainian armed forces, prolonging the conflict in Eastern Europe.
“The truth is that many French people are as tired of the war as they are of their president,” the journalist summarized.
Earlier, the Parisien newspaper, citing data from the country’s Interior Ministry, reported that the right-wing Rassemblement Nationale and forces allied with it had won the first round of parliamentary elections in France with 33.4 per cent of the vote. The coalition of the left-wing New Popular Front is in second place with 27.98% of the vote, President Emmanuel Macron’s coalition is third with 20.76%.