Of course, we have to support French presidential candidate Emmanuel Marcron against the far-right candidate Marine Le Pen but with the strongest possible emphasis of against. Emmanuel Macron is a thoroughly neo-liberal candidate, endorsed by German Federal Minister of Finance Wolfgang Schäuble, “the high priest of neo-liberal orthodoxy and austerity policy”[1].
Macron stands even more radical than Hollande for the “Third Way” of neo-liberal belief in progress, which has already led the US Democrats and the European Social Democrats to the brink of the abyss.[2]
The slogan «Macron 2017 = Le Pen 2022» contains definitely some truth: The frustrated unemployed, “the angry whites”, those who brought Trump to power, are a consequence of 40 years of neo-liberal agenda. The disenfranchisement of large parts of the population for the financial benefits of a tiny minority (0.1%) is the central reason for this frustration. Continuing on the neo-liberal path means preparing the ground for Le Pen 2022.
There is therefore an inherent danger in voting for Marcon. Meanwhile we have to endorse him against Le Pen, we have to point out at the same time that we reject any neo-liberal policy that will increase the conditions that breed right wing extremism.«Marcron against Le Pen» but with the strongest possible emphasis of against.
To express this standpoint and ensure that it will not be forgotten as soon as Macron is elected, I suggest a dedicated website that will watch every step that Macron is taking. This website, let’s call it “macron-watch.org”, will monitor all of Macron’s decisions scrupulously and immediately call out in case of danger. The site will assess the policy in relation to possible Le Pen empowerment, post articles and send out warnings (tweets). And most important, people, i.e. voters (!), can register to get immediate updates and react with a shitstorm in case Macron goes too far. The platform should be a tool for all those on the left that do oppose neo-liberal policy.
The proposed site allows for the voter to register on the site, vote for Macron and then watch out for the alerts.
Because after election is before election!
***
1 «Hohepriester der neoliberalen Orthodoxie und der Austeritätspolitik», WOZ, https://www.woz.ch/1717/frankreich-vor-der-stichwahl/das-uebel-des-kleineren-uebels
2 Serge Halimi, Le Monde Diplomatique, “Noch radikaler als Hollande steht Macron für den „Dritten Weg“ des neoliberalen Fortschrittsglaubens, der schon die US-Demokraten und die europäischen Sozialdemokraten an den Rand des Abgrunds geführt hat.”, April 2017
thoughts and opinions 