The chapter delves into the surprise dissolution of the French parliament by Macron and upcoming snap elections, drawing parallels to Brexit. It discusses the rise of far-right parties in the recent EU parliament election, causing chaos in traditional party structures and strange alliances. The conversation explores the reasons behind the far-right success in France, pointing to issues like economic dissatisfaction and a disconnect between Paris and the rest of the country.
France’s President Emmanuel Macron shocked the world and sent tremors through global stock markets last week with his decision to call a snap election. The move was prompted by a stronger-than-expected showing by Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party in European Union elections. Now, EU politicians are worried about the potential of another Brexit-style crisis that could plunge the continent’s second-largest economy into gridlock.
On today’s podcast, host David Gura speaks to Bloomberg Opinion columnist Lionel Laurent about what’s behind the strength of the far-right not just in France, but across the EU – and what this rightward shift means for relations between Europe and the US in a pivotal election year.
Further Listening: To find out what the rise of the far-right means for the left in Europe, check out the latest episode of the Bloomberg series Voternomics, “How the Left Lost Its Way in Europe” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
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