The French Presidential Elections and Lack of Realistic Options

[Debater Slayer]

Today, I came across an article outlining the current expected voter leanings in the upcoming French presidential election. Aside from the fairly considerable difference in popularity between the two favorites (Macron and Le Pen) and the rest of the candidates, I also noticed that basically all of them are right-leaning.

I'm not familiar with the political landscape of France, but in a way vaguely similar to the U.S., this seems to me to indicate a possible flaw in the system if only two candidates are actually likely to win. Furthermore, given Macron's inflammatory, unwise response to the whole situation about the Muhammad cartoons and subsequent terrorist attacks as well as his administration's increasingly restrictive measures against Muslims in France, I'm questioning what kind of impact re-electing him could have on France's image abroad.

Does anyone know what's up with French politics? What could explain the relative lack of (realistic) options among presidential candidates and the preference for Le Pen and Macron?

 

[Secret Chief]

Calling @ChristineM calling @ChristineM ...

 

[Altfish]

@ChristineM may well have a better feel for this.

My thoughts are that Macron's anti Muslim comments are trying to win back some of Le Pen's voters.

 

[Altfish]

Calling @ChristineM calling @ChristineM ...

Ooops, you beat me to it.

 

[Kooky]

Islamophobia is popular everywhere in Europe, although it may also lead to the danger of leftists no longer seeing themselves forced to vote for the moderate right-winger to prevent a more extremist one when both are indistinguishable in their rhetoric and agenda.

 

[Stevicus]

 

[Debater Slayer]

Islamophobia is popular everywhere in Europe, although it may also lead to the danger of leftists no longer seeing themselves forced to vote for the moderate right-winger to prevent a more extremist one when both are indistinguishable in their rhetoric and agenda.

By "Islamophobia," do you mean fear or hatred of Muslims as people, or do you mean fear or hatred of Islam or a specific sect thereof? Not that I agree with fear or hatred of Muslims as a group or wholesale fear or hatred of Islam, but there's a major difference between the two that this overused and often misused term ("Islamophobia") both obscures and fails to consider sufficiently.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Islamophobia is popular everywhere in Europe, although it may also lead to the danger of leftists no longer seeing themselves forced to vote for the moderate right-winger to prevent a more extremist one when both are indistinguishable in their rhetoric and agenda.

They don't have the comfort of a large ocean separating them from the extremists who want to kill them. And things like a burka ban? Even Muslim countries ban those because of their ties to extremism.

 

[ChristineM]

2022 French presidential election - Wikipedia

It's far easier than me trying to explain it.

There are around 30 candidates currently declared for the presidential election,

 

[ChristineM]

@ChristineM may well have a better feel for this.

My thoughts are that Macron's anti Muslim comments are trying to win back some of Le Pen's voters.

If le pen gets in anti muslim sentiment will be taken to a new level

 

[Debater Slayer]

2022 French presidential election - Wikipedia

It's far easier than me trying to explain it.

There are around 30 candidates currently declared for the presidential election,

I read that before starting this thread. It didn't answer my questions because, despite the number of candidates, the article I linked seems to indicate that only two or three at most have any real chance of winning the election.

That's why I drew a comparison between that situation and the U.S. election: there were multiple candidates who pretty much everyone knew were going to lose to either Trump or Biden. It was basically an illusion of choice.

 

[Debater Slayer]

If le pen gets in anti muslim sentiment will be taken to a new level

I worry that if Macron gets re-elected after his incendiary policies and remarks about Muslims in France, that may further damage France's international image and relations. The problem is that Le Pen is even worse, as you mentioned. It's kind of a no-win situation, unfortunately.

 

[ChristineM]

I worry that if Macron gets re-elected after his incendiary policies and remarks about Muslims in France, that may further damage France's international image and relations. The problem is that Le Pen is even worse, as you mentioned. It's kind of a no-win situation, unfortunately.

Me to.
France has had more than its fair share of terror attacks so i see Macron as riding the band wagon in order to dilute le Pens following.

 

[Debater Slayer]

France has had more than its fair share of terror attacks so i see Macron as riding the band wagon in order to dilute le Pens following.

This has been my impression as well. He seems to me a political opportunist who may know a thing or two about demagoguery and pandering to popular fears and prejudice.

 

[Secret Chief]

If le pen gets in anti muslim sentiment will be taken to a new level

What is happening with the left? Is it splintered? Or...?

 

[Kooky]

By "Islamophobia," do you mean fear or hatred of Muslims as people, or do you mean fear or hatred of Islam or a specific sect thereof? Not that I agree with fear or hatred of Muslims as a group or wholesale fear or hatred of Islam, but there's a major difference between the two that this overused and often misused term ("Islamophobia") both obscures and fails to consider sufficiently.

In my experience, the difference isn't really a "major" one in practical terms.

When people talk about misgivings over Islam as a religion, it is frequently being framed as misgivings over the presence of Muslim populations, or vice versa, and most anti-Islam policies are de facto detrimental to individual Muslims, but not religious institutions, or even harmful cultural practices. (See e.g. European bans of face coverings and similar dresscodes, which are enacted to the detriment of the same women they are supposedly freeing from Islamic oppression)

 

[ChristineM]

This has been my impression as well. He seems to me a political opportunist who may know a thing or two about demagoguery and pandering to popular fears and prejudice.

He is actually quite good in many respects, but has recently been trying to cover his slow start to the fight against covid, perhaps he's using muslims to divert attention.

 

[Debater Slayer]

In my experience, the difference isn't really a "major" one in practical terms.

Maybe not to you as a Western person living in the West, but to many of us from Islamic countries and backgrounds, the distinction is sometimes significantly important. Accusations of "Islamophobia" against prominent Arab secularists who seek to promote more progressive and equitable religious views--who include some Muslims--underline the necessity of discernment and acknowledgement of nuance when using a term as unclear as "Islamophobia" can be.

When people talk about misgivings over Islam as a religion, it is frequently being framed as misgivings over the presence of Muslim populations, or vice versa, and most anti-Islam policies are de facto detrimental to individual Muslims, but not religious institutions, or even harmful cultural practices. (See e.g. European bans of face coverings and similar dresscodes, which are enacted to the detriment of the same women they are supposedly freeing from Islamic oppression)

See above. Many who don't promote any anti-Muslim policies still get accused of "Islamophobia" by hardliners and conservatives who intend to shut down any discussions on reform or challenging tradition.

 

[Kooky]

Maybe not to you as a Western person living in the West, but to many of us from Islamic countries and backgrounds, the distinction is sometimes significantly important. Accusations of "Islamophobia" against prominent Arab secularists who seek to promote more progressive and equitable religious views--who include some Muslims--underline the necessity of discernment and acknowledgement of nuance when using a term as unclear as "Islamophobia" can be.

I was specifically talking about the situation in Europe from the very beginning. If you look at the thread title, it even says that this thread is about French presidential elections.

EDIT: Sorry if I gave off a different impression. You are correct to point out that I am unfamiliar with the situation in Muslim majority countries, which is why I tend to refrain from talking about the situation there to begin with.

 

[ChristineM]

What is happening with the left? Is it splintered? Or...?

Its splintered, there are so many left wing parties that few have a big enough following to offer a candidate. And those that do generally are offering more than one candidate.