A defining victory?
The victory of centrist Emmanuel Macron in France’s presidential election, in which he beat far-right candidate Marine Le Pen by a particularly wide margin, is a very positive development on a number of fronts.
The result we witnessed in France proves that populism cannot be fought off with more populism. Instead, Macron’s win shows that telling the truth and speaking clearly about reforms, as he did during his surprise campaign, can fend off populism.
The challenge facing Europe and France in the wake of Sunday’s win for the former French economy minister is a difficult one. However, there is no other option than to succeed.
We can only hope that this success will also carry Greece with it so that it can emerge from a long period during which populism has reigned supreme.
