Showing posts with label French Election. Show all posts
Showing posts with label French Election. Show all posts

2017-05-05

French Voters Skeptical of Macron & Le Pen: Is France "Done"?

FRANCE 24 Live – International Breaking News & Top stories - 24/7 stream

Watch election coverage above as France votes Sunday, May 7, 2017, for a new President and neither of the two runoff candidates, Macron and Le Pen, are representing a major French party. What's likely to happen? Video courtesy of France24.com.

UPDATE May 7, 2017 (rev. May 8): Macron wins runoff with low voter turnout and historic high numbers of voters voting blank or spoiled ballots--out of France's reported 51 million registered voters, 25.4% of registered voters did not vote, 11.4% of registered voters voted a spoiled or blank ballot, and the remaining voters split between Macron 66% and Le Pen 34%--hence Macron won by getting only 20.75 million (updated) votes. Legislative elections in France are scheduled to take place on 3, 10-11 June 2017 and 17-18 June 2017 to elect the 577 members of the 15th National Assembly of the French Fifth Republic. See also: Many French voters yet to be convinced by Macron | Reuters.com 8 May 2017.

Analysis and opinion (as of May 5, 2017):

First, the situation in France may be a lot worse than many would have you believe--
Some media, including Reuters.com, have reported that French voters are skeptical and do not think either Macron or Le Pen have answers on either unemployment or security (terrorism). Reportedly 45 percent of voters believe neither Macron nor Le Pen would put an end to unemployment (unemployment has for years been close to 10 percent in France), and 36 percent of voters say neither candidate is able to protect France from terrorist attacks. France has been under a state of emergency since 2015 and more than 230 people have been killed in terrorist attacks over the past two years. Under this scenario, the runoff vote on Sunday is a "no-win election" for the French people.
Second, here's what's likely to happen: the peculiar Emmanuel Macron will win accompanied by pro-EU elites and establishment media cheering, mistakenly believing "populism is over." Then the rot will continue while Macron somehow tries to govern, though you won't notice much reporting on this if you are only following the establishment media "narratives."

Look at the infographic below (thousands of millionaires flee France). France has a problem. Is it because, like most of Europe, it is trapped in a failed experimental monetary system (the "euro"--monetary union without fiscal union does not work), apparently resigned to high unemployment, and overwhelmed by chaotic out-of-control immigration, and an inability to absorb or culturally integrate its own growing and dissatisfied Muslim minorities? Expect more trouble ahead. This is far from over. Get out if, and while, you can. The Brexiteers have got it right. More will be revealed. See: Euro Outlook for 2017 | Fortune.com"Markets sense that the system is not viable in the long run—speculators attack when they smell blood. European Central Bank President Mario Draghi’s assertion that he will do “whatever it takes” has worked wonders—for longer than anyone expected. But it is a confidence trick: It works only because market participants believe it will work."

Third, if you're doing a deal in Europe and your counterparts will not agree to U.S. law and jurisdiction governing the transaction, why would you not insist on English law and jurisdiction governing the transaction, and close it in London? Otherwise, you too could end up "trapped."

All of the above has ramifications for global markets and investors, and the shift in global power from West to East. Caveat Emptor.

Follow the money--thousands of millionaires flee France--

Millionaire Migrants? Countries That Rich People Are Flocking To and From:
Courtesy of: Visual Capitalist

See also on Domain Mondo: The French Election & Global Markets, Italy A Threat to the Euro (videos) (April 21, 2017)

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2017-04-21

The French Election & Global Markets, Italy A Threat to the Euro (videos)

The first round of the 2017 French presidential election is on 23 April 2017. The run-off election between the top two candidates will be held on 7 May 2017. The leading candidates are Le Pen (National Front), Macron (En March!), Fillon (Republicans), Mélenchon (La France insoumise). Latest polls: FT.com - Bloomberg.com - wikipedia.org.

UPDATE April 23, 2017: Macron vs Le Pen for next President of France, runoff election May 7, 2017

FRANCE 24 Live – International Breaking News & Top stories - 24/7 stream

Emmanuel Macron: France's Next President?

Video above published Apr 19, 2017, by WSJ.com: A relative unknown in French politics until he announced his candidacy, Emmanuel Macron is a front-runner in France’s presidential election. But who is Mr. Macron, what does he stand for, and what are his chances?

Soc Gen CEO on French Election, ECB, European Banking

Mar 08, 2017: Frederic Oudea, chief executive officer at Societe Generale SA, discusses the French presidential election, French support for the European Union, normalization of ECB policy, and explains why he is "optimistic" about European banks. He speaks with Bloomberg's Jonathan Ferro on "Bloomberg Daybreak: Americas."

Franco-German short term yield spreads blow out to eurozone crisis high | ft.com, April 4, 2017: "The yield gap between French and German two-year debt has blown out to its highest level since the eurozone crisis as investors snap up German assets ahead of France’s presidential elections in three weeks’ time."

In the UKBritish PM May calls for early election to strengthen Brexit hand | Reuters.com, election June 8th--Theresa May is set to deliver a crushing blow to "remainers"--UK growth is faster than expected, consumer confidence is high, and unemployment low.

Why Italians Have "Fallen Out of Love" With The Euro: The euro zone's greatest existential threat? Italy, the eurozone's third largest economy, which could abandon the euro because: 1) Italians are poorer as a result of being part of the euro currency bloc; and 2) they are falling further behind their counterparts in main trading partner Germany.--Reuters.com

Is the Euro Doomed?

Apr 12, 2017: With the UK heading out of the European Union, Greece back on the brink and discontent fuelling the rise of populist politicians, Bloomberg QuickTake asks can the world’s most ambitious financial experiment survive?

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