French Elections: Is this good news? EDIT: Yes

[blogslug]

From CNN:

https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/france-election-runoff-results-07-07-24-intl/index.html

11 min ago
France's left-wing alliance is projected to be largest bloc in parliament in shock result

In a shocking second-round result, the left-wing New Popular Front is projected to finish ahead of Marine Le Pen’s far-right party in French parliamentary elections, according to an IPSOS estimate following runoff elections.

This is a breaking news story. We’ll bring you the latest updates as we get them.

Seems like good news. I know so very little about French politics.

[malaise]

1. Great news

Wipe out the neo-“liberals everywhere

[oldsoftie]

2. Yes; stopping Le Pen means stopping the Pro-Putin party

She's the French trump with smaller boobs.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

17. .

[SamuelTheThird]

19. Does it?

In January 2021, Mélenchon stated categorically: “Economy, trade, civilization – everything connects us to Russia” – adding that France has always fared well when it sought to close ranks with Russia.

And even during the Russian troop deployment on the Ukrainian border, he stood firmly by Putin’s side: “The Russians are mobilizing their troops on the border? Who wouldn’t do the same in the face of such a neighbor, a country tied to a foreign power and permanently threatening Russia?”

Mr. Frexit
He also denies the idea and purpose of a European defense capability: “The Europe of defense cannot exist, it is only a pillar of NATO.”

Just like the radical right, he says his “Plan A” is “disobedience” to the EU. If he becomes prime minister, France would disobey all parts of EU law that bother him. If the EU doesn’t swallow that, France will just leave: Frexit.

[oldsoftie]

28. hopefully Macron will pull them a bit more to sensibility

But Le Pen was probably worse

[Mike Nelson]

3. YES!

... the UK, France... I'm seeing a trend!

[Lovie777]

4. Yes, it's fantastic news.........................

Recently, far right asshole LePen said she was going to stop weaponry to Ukraine meaning she was sided with Putin. With the Olympics coming I felt no security for many country's athletics.

[MOMFUDSKI]

5. Kinda like the RED WAVE that became

a trickle here! lol

[thucythucy]

6. And we were told by the pundits that Le Pen was on the verge

of a sweep, a landslide, an earthquake in French and European politics.

I guess the polls and the pundits aren't infallible after all.

First the UK, now France.

Might there be a lesson here for those of us on this side of the Atlantic?

[yonder]

8. I kept hearing the same despite not paying close attention.

Could the forces directing press efforts to affect the outcome there be the same or similar to those that are doing the same here?

This is very encouraging news.

[MOMFUDSKI]

23. I think Macron is way smarter than anyone

gave him credit for! The hair-pulling can stop now. lol

[House of Roberts]

7. Didn't this happen in the last election?

Le Pen took the first round and then the small parties supported Macron’s party and froze out the fascists.

[brooklynite]

11. Correct

[thucythucy]

24. Which means, if I understand this correctly, that

the number of anti Le Pen voters always outnumbered the rightists, but they had to pull together to keep Le Pen in check.

Might there be a lesson for well-meaning folks on this side of the Atlantic?

[Peacetrain]

9. Very good news!!!

[flamingdem]

10. Wow, what a turn of events

Add this to the Labor victory in the UK and we're on a pro-democracy roll.

[OneBlueDotS-Carolina]

12. Excellent news...

again the polls said Le Pen & the fascist right would win easily.

[JanMichael]

15. Any idea how they were so far off?

In the UK it was predicted that Labour would destroy the conservatives and it happened.

In France it was predicted that neo-nazis would win big and that didn't happen.

What in the hell is going on in the world of political prognosticating?

[muriel_volestrangler]

18. Big turnout - the people actually did care about keeping the far right out

Turnout at 5pm was sharply higher than for the 2022 elections at nearly 58%, according to the interior ministry, and – very unusually – also slightly up on the first round vote last Sunday, suggesting the final figure could be the highest for 50 years.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jul/07/french-election-national-rally-marine-le-pen

(This is assuming the French exit polls are accurate, of course, but they do have a good track record)

[OneBlueDotS-Carolina]

21. Just saw & heard...

strong polling numbers for Le Pen & the far right. Macron was doomed, watch France24 from time to time. Today they are surprised at the turnout & wipe out of the National Front/Rally.

[JanMichael]

13. Yes it is positive.

[malaise]

14. More here

François Hollande, a socialist former French president, is speaking now after having won a seat in the national assembly.

He thanked all the left parties and the people who are not left wing supporters but wanted to make the election result clear.

The result gives satisfaction but also responsibility, the former president

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2024/jul/07/french-election-2024-results-latest-france-news-marine-le-pen-national-rally-emmanuel-macron?page=with%3Ablock-668ae2db8f08b8c654ee7669

[Takket]

16. wow... everything i heard was that the right wing was going to win this election easily

is this because of the opposing left wing candidates dropping out so they could consolidate?

[brooklynite]

20. Yes.

[unc70]

22. RW not only lost, but will finish third

[Linda ladeewolf]

25. France dodged a bullet there.

Much relieved, I only know a little about Lepen, but it was enough to be afraid of her coming to power. Good thing Macron called a snap election.

[UTUSN]

27. K&R