Emmanuel Macron’s triumph, and the challenges he now faces

IN THE END, it wasn’t close. Emmanuel Macron stormed to a second term as France’s president, trouncing his nationalist-populist rival Marine Le Pen by 58.5% to 41.5% on April 24th. Gloomy liberals noted that her vote share rose by eight points since their previous encounter in 2017. Nonetheless, despite pandemic, war and inflation, Mr Macron has achieved something no French president has managed for 57 years. He won re-election while also controlling a majority in the national legislature (so disgruntled voters had no one else to blame). France and Europe have dodged a calamity. Had Ms Le Pen won, she would have undermined NATO, appeased Vladimir Putin, challenged the legal foundations of the EU and stoked racial tension at home.

Mr Macron tried to sound humble in victory. Standing before the Eiffel Tower, he admitted that: “Our country is beset by doubts and divisions.” He added: “Today’s vote requires us to consider all of the hardships of people’s lives and to respond effectively to them and to the anger expressed.” Ms Le Pen articulated that anger, which is one reason why she did as well as she did, though she offered few coherent remedies. The quality of Mr Macron’s response will determine whether his second term is a success or a failure.