The right to abstain during the second round of the French election — that is, to cast a blank vote — is the most controversial debate France has known for decades. And right now, it is tearing families apart and ending friendships. Me? As a French citizen, I cannot fathom the idea of not trying to stop the scourge of the Front National from accessing the highest office in the country. Their values are not my values. They are not France’s values. Their extremism should be stamped out by any means necessary, and to say so feels like a no-brainer. If it requires voting for Emmanuel Macron, then so be it.
My cousin, Flavie Peglion, a self-described traditional socialist, disagrees with me vigorously. I could not make sense of her choice, so I decided to debate it with her. Jessica: What was your reaction when you saw Jean-Luc Melenchon’s results in the first round? Flavie: I was a bit disappointed, because he had such striking success in the last few weeks, but I also always knew it would be Macron vs Le Pen in the second round.
At the same time, I’m also happy because if you add up the scores obtained by [Socialist candidate] Benoit Hamon and Jean-Luc Melenchon, you get close to 26 per cent of the votes, higher than the other candidates, so it is clear the values and ideas of the left have won. Why will you cast a blank vote in the second round? I am appalled at the idea of having a far-right president in France, possibly the most extreme regime since Vichy. I am terrified for the most vulnerable among us — not you or I necessarily, but visible minority groups — Muslim people, refugees: Those who will be the first to bear the brunt of their racist policies.
I’m also appalled by the Front National’s views on abortion and gender. How can you risk handing them victory by abstaining? I hear you, but I feel like I am caught in a very perverse situation. Voting for Macron tomorrow will only allow the Front National to expand and in five years, if there isn’t strong enough opposition from the Left on social issues such as unemployment, privatisation, inequality — Marine Le Pen will absolutely be voted in. And that should surprise no one. I remember you’ve told me before that to vote for candidates such as Macron is to feed the far-right machine in the longer term. Can you unpack that? Today, the pro-Le Pen electorate is not exclusively racist or xenophobic — although an awful lot of them are. It’s also people who buy into the “politicians-are-all-crooks” mentality, and who think the Front National is a choice of the last resort. It’s people who have been abandoned by the political class. Le Pen presents herself as the people’s candidate, and talks about social issues (such as prices, pensions, and the relocation of factories) that the Socialist party has ignored for years, and which the other right-wing parties have done nothing to fix.
That’s why a lot of farmers, artisans and factory workers are voting for her. That’s why ultra-liberal characters such as Macron, or even President Francois Hollande, who defend a Europe that can no longer protect or provide for its workers, are such divisive figures. They open the space for extremist parties to rush in and take root. Sure, I hear that. But let me say it again so it sinks in. France runs the risk of having a far-right president. In France. When the Front National won the first round in 2002, I remember taking to the streets with millions of people, saying, “Never again”. It was a key political moment for a lot of us.
And now, here we are. What do you expect will happen if she’s elected? It’s going to be a catastrophe. She will go to Brussels to ask about Article 50. It will be an economic tsunami, inflation will follow, purchasing power will decrease. I’m also worried that, she will enact deeply xenophobic policies, especially regarding immigration, as soon as she takes office. She’s going to go after minorities and harden the country’s stance on the veil, targeting French Muslims in the process. Yes, but honestly, overt political discrimination towards minorities is nothing new, and sadly she doesn’t need anyone’s help with that.
Other parties have had scandalous positions on minorities too. Francois Fillon, especially, had deeply problematic views. So what do you think will happen this weekend? I believe she won’t get elected. But that’s such an act of blind faith! That’s exactly what people were saying about Trump — that he didn’t stand a chance. Yes, but I am prepared to accept the consequences of my stance. What will you do if she wins? I will be heart-broken, but I think the next battle to take on will be the legislative elections in June. No matter who wins tomorrow, it’s the only way to get a true opposition in France, the only way to prevent a true catastrophe and for France to have a future. Many French laws are subject to the constitution and a lot of Le Pen’s programme and policies could not be applied without being passed by the French senate. In a way, I have faith in French institutions. There are a lot of things she’d like to put forward that she won’t be able to achieve. The French people will also have to trust themselves — the French people — to build a strong resistance movement. How do you feel about Melenchon hesitating in calling on people to vote for Macron?
I think it’s logical. I understand wanting to oppose the Front National, but I can’t stand how so many politicians are using this quagmire to their own advantage: Because they know that by using the fear of seeing Le Pen win, people will have to put them in office even though they don’t deserve it. In fact, many of those acting so righteously — such as Manuel Valls — were among the first to give up on the Socialist Hamon.
What strikes me is that your approach is a bit nihilistic. You’re essentially saying a political bomb will go off and Le Pen might win, and if it doesn’t happen we’ll see the same old people in charge. I’m saying we can’t afford to have this stance, and that Macron is the lesser of two evils. I really don’t want to see Le Pen in charge. But if you look at Macron’s stance on social issues — the way he wants to privatise health care, for example — it will be ruinous for the most vulnerable among the French. He will chip away at France’s welfare system. And the minorities will definitely suffer under him. So many could suffer under Macron’s regime too.
— Guardian News & Media Ltd
Jessica Reed is features editor, Guardian US. Flavie Peglion, a supporter of Jean-Luc Melenchon, is a Psychology student who lives in Paris.
