Neoliberal Investment Banker Macron Defeats Openly Xenophobic & Racist Le Pen in French Election
by mail@democracynow.org (Democracy Now!) from Democracy Now! on (#2NR37)
Former investment banker and political centrist Emmanuel Macron has been elected president of France in a landslide victory over far-right candidate Marine Le Pen. Macron won over 66 percent of the vote. Even though Le Pen lost, she received nearly 7 million votes-more than any other candidate in the history of her party, the anti-immigrant National Front. Le Pen had campaigned on an openly xenophobic and racist platform, calling for France to crack down on immigration and leave the European Union. Macron ran on a pro-trade and EU agenda. We speak to the French human rights and civil liberties activist and researcher, Yasser Louati. He recently wrote an article titled "French Elections: Marine Le Pen or Emmanuel Macron? Hitler or UBER?"