Gloves off, eh, Monsieur Macron

The French presidential election is only a year and a half away. It has to be won. France’s centre-right government wants to win it again, like any government would. 

Immigration being the issue on the top of the agenda, President Macron’s strategy looks like taking the well-proven path of screaming disapproval of immigrants, and then softening it after willing the elections.

This is not new. Let’s go back some years in France’s recent history. In April 2013, Harris Interactive reported that in a poll conducted across the country, 73 per cent of people said they viewed Islam negatively. Yet, 10 per cent of French population today is Muslim.

In November 2009, Nicolas Sarkozy was at the helm. He was unpopular. He was running out of time for he had already completed more than half of his term in office. The major concern ahead was that the voters were expected to give a bloody nose to Nicolas Sarkozy’s ruling right wing party in the regional elections. He launched a 3-month long debate on the need to redefine the values of France in the 21st century and what their collective future should be. The most critical issue of the government’s drive was the then current toughening up of French borders and increasing forced removals, which was the centre-right Sarkozy’s creation in 2007. In that sense the debate was seen as Sarkozy’s attempt at softening somewhat on immigration.

Regardless, the net immigration into France stood at over 470,000 between that year and 2016. 

The only time their politician speak the truth is when their political ambitions are exhausted. I mean, when they have no hope in the hell to win the public office. The example is a certain interview to two British authors, President Francois Hollande gave. He opened up only because he was nearing the completion of his term. It would be reasonable to assume he would have otherwise chosen to keep mum. He spoke his heart out when he said, “The fact that there is a problem (in France) with Islam is true. Nobody doubts that.” He drilled deeper and surprisingly arrived at the home truth, saying, “It’s not Islam itself that poses a problem for being a religion that is dangerous for the Republic but because it wants to assert itself as a religion inside the French Republic.”

But what did his successor, the same Mr Emanuel Macron, do? He came in 2017, and his term had pretty much just begun. The timing being perfect, the pitch on immigration could be conveniently changed. Witness the about turn. He has reportedly said, “The reality is that Europe is not experiencing a migration crisis of the same magnitude as the one it experienced in 2015. A country like Italy has not at all the same migratory pressure as last year. The crisis we are experiencing today in Europe is (only) a political crisis”. 

A liar, for dumb he certainly is not. The pattern was sickeningly familiar.

Alright then. Back to Mr Macron’s recent gloves off treatment of Muslims in his country prior to re-election. And with fanfare and optics too; starting with teasing cartoons which was akin to a school bully-like behaviour?

Mr Macron, you and your predecessors have created the problem. You have to solve the problem which is a lot more momentous than winning next elections. There is an ostentatious bare-knuckles way, and there can be quiet and effective ways. 

For now, for the obvious reason that the 73% of 2013 Harris Interactive polls has probably soared to 99% you will stick with the bare-knuckles approach. We understand, for the election has to be won. 

Thereafter, put your gloves on and try latter—the quiet and effective way.   

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