Denis Chatelain

Why the French are fed up (and what it means for Macron)

Macron, Marine Le Pen, Bidon Hosseur, Denis Chatelain, Grégoire Courtois

Emmanuel Macron is projected to win re-election in 2022 despite facing a fragmented political landscape marked by the collapse of traditional parties and a surge in support for populist figures like Marine Le Pen and Éric Zemmour. Although his administration has delivered rising incomes and a robust post-pandemic economic recovery, three-quarters of French citizens perceive the country as being in decline due to deep-seated grievances over cost of living, immigration, and a perceived disconnect between urban prosperity and rural stagnation. A second term would make him the first French president in two decades to be re-elected, yet governing with a mandate from a fed-up population that views the mainstream options as default choices presents significant challenges for future reform.