We discuss this issue in the international news column of the radio program El Circulo Rojo, which is broadcast every Thursday from 10:00 to 12:00 on Radio Con Vos.
Last week the first round of legislative elections was held in France.
First, how do you choose? 577 seats in the National Assembly were allocated. If any candidate gets more than 50% in the first round, with at least 25% of the electorate, he/she wins outright. All candidates exceeding 12.5% of the vote will advance to the second round.
What did the first round leave behind? The highly disputed election between President Emmanuel Macron’s party (25.75% of the vote) and the referred progressive coalition in Jean-Luc Mélenchon with 25.66%. Further behind was the extreme right of the National Grouping party, led by Marine Le Pen with 18.68% of the vote.
If this data is maintained, even though Macron’s party is expected to win a majority of seats, it will not achieve an absolute majority of 289 seats.
But it should be noted: that Macron’s formation against a progressive coalition is significant, if we take into account that the presidential election was decided by Macron against Marine Le Pen, a candidate from the extreme right.
The New Popular Ecological and Social Union, which has references to Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the Wild France, also brought together the French Communist Party, the Socialist Party, several environmental parties and other left-wing groups.
Second highlight: Last week, and as in 2017, more than half of voters did not vote. And this year, abstentions are up more than a point, breaking his record behind the Fifth Republic, with 52.49% of those registered staying at home.
What is most interesting about the election?
After the presidential election in France, many began to argue that a growing discontent with traditional parties found expression on the far right,
The one-sided view of political expression of anger over deteriorating living conditions and rising inequality.
The coalition’s result, which is seen in France as “left”, shares in refutes this pessimistic view, and reminds us that “anger” can also be expressed in different ways.
If it doesn’t express itself more to the left, it’s also because of the restrictions imposed by parties or social organizations.
But if we put this political expression, albeit limited, in terms of historic strikes in places as different as the UK or South Korea, the emergence of “Generation U” who founded new unions in the United States, we have several examples that remind us that ” joy” not only from the right.
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