Blanc

Emmanuel Macron was undoubtedly congratulated by our Prime
Minister for his solid victory in the French Presidential election.
I can only add my own good feeling about a handsome young
President - from Sciences Po, a school I attended - with a fashionable
spouse.

Yet there were interesting aspects to the results. The polls were
predicting a 60 % take for Macron, and he scored 66%. Were they
off again (as they were on the Trump win the US)? Arguably not.
In effect, there were a record number of so-called 'white' votes
where electors returned a blanc envelope, as well as a number
of nulls (for Miskey Mouse, whatever...). Plus an increase in the
number of abstentions.

Prior to the election, many Mélenchon supporters
argued for le blanc, as away of marking opposition to Macron's election.
This strategy was followed by many, and the 10 % overrun on blancs
and nulls does seem to be coming from ridings that were for Mélenchon
in the first round of voting. .9 x .66 = .594 so Macron did hold to his 60%
predicted support.

This is guerilla voting. The whole idea of a second round is to force a clear
winner, with candidates forming alliances and adjusting their positions to
a useful choice. The level of support for the winner is the number eventually
deemed significant, because President and legislators in Parliament - elected 5
weeks later - will form the governing group. So goes the Vth Republic.

Mélenchon (France Insoumise) is the one candidate open to moving on to a
VIth Republic. He is of that Left which courts some of the same nationalist electors
as Marine Le Pen, although he picks up recent conservative immigrants as well. He
wants to nationalize the banks. Surely someone to watch as the Legislative elections
loom.