Macron And Le Pen To Face Off For French Presidency – But She Won't Be Pleased With First Round Result

EPA

By Paul Smith, University of Nottingham

In the end, the polls were right. Emmanuel Macron will go into the second round of the French presidential election against Marine Le Pen. For a while it seemed as though a dead heat were on the cards but, in the end, Macron took first place, with nearly 24%, ahead of Le Pen at just under 22%.

Republican candidate François Fillon and far-left contender Jean-Luc Mélenchon followed close behind, with Socialist Benoît Hamon trailing badly.

Despite coming second, for Le Pen and her supporters, the score is a disappointment. For so long, she was touted for first place and predicted a score as high as 27%. Even on the eve of the vote, some pundits were predicting the possibility of a score of 30%. Her score is well behind the 28% the Front National scored in the regional elections in December 2015. Above all, it reflects Le Pen’s failure to make the key aspects of her programme count in the campaign. She was strangely muted in the TV debates and now it shows.

Putting on a brave face. EPA/Ian Langsdon

The disappointment was clear on Le Pen’s face when she made her first TV appearance at a little after nine on the night of the vote. At her campaign HQ, by 10 o’clock they’d turned off the TV screens and half her supporters had gone home while others were enjoying the disco.

All the polls that have run a Le Pen/Macron scenario for the second round have suggested a 60/40 split in favour of Macron. Le Pen will hope for better, of course, but while she has to believe she can win on May 7, it’s a very long shot.

The final result will have an impact on Le Pen and the future direction of the Front National. She is not in danger of being replaced if she loses; there is no alternative leader for the time being. But the strategy and the programme, largely devised by her acolyte Florian Philippot, will be put under the spotlight.

Her voters are loyal, and Le Pen will hope to secure a proportion of Fillon’s voters as well as those Mélenchon followers who cannot countenance supporting Macron. But with so many other candidates urging their followers to now back Macron, she has a lot of ground to cover in a very short space of time.

Fillon gracious in defeat
Despite Mélenchon’s late rally, it seems that Fillon is the third man in this race. At 8.45pm, he appeared at his campaign headquarters to deliver a remarkably dignified speech in which he accepted his defeat and called, without hesitation, for his supporters to vote for Macron in the second round.

Not all of them will. Le Pen will hope that the right wing Catholic vote will swing to her rather than Macron, for example. Nevertheless, with Fillon’s defeat, most of the Republican heavyweights came out in favour of Macron. It may even be that, in due course, once the allegations against him are out of the way and show him to be innocent, Fillon might even foresee a situation where he and other figures from the right might have a role to play between now and 2022.

Macron celebrates his victory. EPA

While Fillon demonstrated both restraint and dignity, throughout the evening Mélenchon and his camp showed the opposite. They refused to accept the projections based on exit polls, even as they appeared to confirm the gap between Macron and Le Pen, and again Fillon and Mélenchon. This is the downside of Mélenchonite. After the fever reaches its high point, it inevitably leads to disappointment, not to say depression. In 2012, having thought he might come third, Mélenchon slipped to fourth, and by a distance. In the last fortnight of this campaign, Mélenchon and his supporters convinced themselves that they would be in the second round. Fly high, fall far.

But Mélenchon succeeded in one of his missions: to reduce Socialist candidate Benoît Hamon to fifth place and a crushing 6.5%. Hamon was out of the blocks first, by 8.15pm, to call for his supporters to vote Macron. By nine, his HQ was empty, with only a handful of journalists hanging around.

Now, with the second round approaching on May 7, Le Pen will be hoping that Macron blunders. But until this point, he has avoided the obstacles thrown across his path, while Le Pen has failed to make her key points count. Perhaps, just perhaps, now that Fillon and Mélenchon are out of the way, Le Pen will find a second wind, and more easily be able to define her programme. She may take back the initiative that has eluded her so far in this campaign. If she is going to win, she is going to have to do that in spades.

About Today's Contributor:
Paul Smith, Associate Professor in French and Francophone Studies, University of Nottingham

This article was originally published on The Conversation.

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Rescued Eaglet Returned To National Arboretum Nest In Washington, DC

In Washington DC, the leg of 23-day-old Bald Eaglet "DC4" became lodged in the stick-rails of its nest, resulting in a human-coordinated rescue.

During the evening of April 20th, the right leg of 23-day-old Bald Eaglet "DC4" became precariously lodged inside a hole within the outer rails of its large stick-nest. The eaglet was unable to free itself after many attempts to do so over a considerable period of time.

DC4 resides in a wild nest located at the top of a Tulip Poplar tree at the Agricultural Research Service's (ARS) U.S. National Arboretum (USNA) in Washington DC along with its sibling DC5 and Bald Eagle parents Mr. President & The First Lady.

Via the live-streaming cameras on dceaglecam.org, it became apparent to worldwide viewers that DC4 was in trouble and distressed, and that a human-coordinated rescue could significantly decrease the chance of serious injury to the eaglet's leg. The non-profit American Eagle Foundation (AEF) and the U.S. National Arboretum immediately cooperated with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Ex-Cel Tree Experts to plan the removal of the eaglet from the nest.

"Typically when something goes awry in a wild eagle nest, we don't even know about it and nature simply takes its course," says AEF President Al Cecere. "In this case, however, we could all clearly see how much the eaglet was struggling and how human intervention might make the difference between life and death. We had the power in our hands to help, so that's what we did."

After being retrieved and lowered from the tree by professional arborists Matt Morrison & Marty Levine, the eaglet was initially assessed on the ground by US Fish & Wildlife Service biologist Craig Koppie (also an experienced tree climber). It then received further examination by veterinarian Samantha Sander at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, who truly gave the eaglet the "presidential treatment!" A physical check-up and radiograph revealed no permanent damage to DC4's leg, with the only visible signs being a slight abrasion and swelling. Overall, the eaglet received an acceptable health report and was approved by the veterinarian to be placed back into its nest.

DC4 was successfully returned to its nest at the Arboretum on April 21st at around 5pm EDT. Mr. President, The First Lady, and DC5 welcomed DC4 back home, safe and sound!

The entire process of freeing the eaglet's lodged/stuck leg, getting it checked out/radiographed, and then returning it to the nest took less than 24 hours.

Sue Greeley with USNA helped facilitate the entire process at the Arboretum, while AEF President Al Cecere guided and monitored the effort virtually by phone and internet from Tennessee.

"We are extremely grateful for all USFWS, AEF, USNA, Ex-Cel, & Maryland Zoo staff and volunteers who readily responded to this emergency situation and helped make this a quick, safe and successful rescue effort," says Cecere.

The Video

SOURCE: American Eagle Foundation

What If Marine Le Pen Won The French Election? These Graphic Novels Decode A Possible Far-Right Future

La Presidénte volume 3, The Wave. Les Arènes

By Beatrice Mabilon-Bonfils, Université de Cergy-Pontoise

The 2017 presidential campaign in France has been full of surprises, from François Hollande’s decision not to run for a second term to former prime minister Manuel Valls getting defeated in the Socialist Party primary; from the rise of insider-outsider Emmanuel Macron to the standout debate performance by far-left candidate Philippe Poutou; from François Fillon’s rise, fall, and rise to Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s last-minute surge.


All the twists and turns have increased the uncertainty of an election that was up in the air from the start.

One thing that’s nearly certain is the presence of extreme-right populist Marine Le Pen among the top vote-getters. Her party, the Front National (FN), has gone from a pariah in the 1980s to a major political force. While she and her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, have fallen short up to now, what would happen if she won in 2017?

The answer can perhaps be found in – of all places – a graphic-novel series. Created by writer François Durpaire and artist Farid Boudjellal, the first volume, “La Présidente”, was the hit of the 2015 rentrée (the beginning of the literary season). It was followed by the second volume, “Totalitaire” in 2016, and together they have sold more than 500,000 copies.
Now comes the third volume, titled “La Vague” (“The Wave”), with Durpaire and Boudjellal joined by Laurent Muller. Together the three books provide an enlightening view on the collective anxiety of French citizens as they face a 2017 presidential election whose outcome has never been less certain, and whose consequences for the country and Europe could be profound.

Durpaire, Muller and Boudjellal are well-versed in the mechanisms of power within the FN and have a superb knowledge of the media and political machinations in France. The originality of the series – a sort of retelling of the near future – is to apply a historical methodology and then to put the imagination into action.

An unprecedented explosion
In the first volume, the authors imagine that on May 7, 2017, Marine Le Pen is elected president of the French Republic. Boudjellal’s sharply realistic graphic treatment and Durpaire’s insightful text allow the potential consequences of this election to unfold step by step. What seemed politically unimaginable in the second round of the 2002 presidential election – when Jean-Marie Le Pen was soundly beaten by Jacques Chirac – is today only too possible. Every voter has to think about it and to do so, it’s essential to better understand what would happen if she were to win.

‘La Présidente’, volume 1. Les Arènes

The narrative is not a caricature: it applies to the letter the proposed programme of the FN, with direct extracts from official communications. “La Présidente” describes the first hundred days of Marine Le Pen at the Elysée palace, mobilising the political machinery and methods that the FN has employed through its history. The fiction was nourished by the advice of a team of political and economic experts, who make it possible to realistically explore the possible consequences of the FN’s taking power.

The graphic novel also extrapolates security propositions and technical advances already in place. In November 2015, former president Nicolas Sarkozy proposed electronic bracelets and house arrest for “S file” suspects, suspected of radicalisation, and in April 2016, Francois Hollande authorised the use of facial-recognition software. France itself is still under an extended state of emergency after the November 2015 terrorist attacks – one that will last at least through the upcoming elections.

And so we see it all unfold in the graphic novels: France’s exit from the euro, mass deportations, legal preference for French citizens and widespread surveillance through new electronic and digital tools.

And if the Front National wins again?

‘La Présidente’, volume 2, ‘Totalitaire’. Les Arènes

In volume 2, “Totalitaire,” we’re at the end of Marine Le Pen’s first term in office, in 2022. When the new campaign opens, a surprise candidate emerges from civil society around whom resistance begins to organise. The new candidate is polling higher than the current president, but is a fair election even a possibility? And what of Marion Maréchal–Le Pen, niece of Marine Le Pen and a political power in her own right?

By this point, technology offers an unprecedented capacity for monitoring and control – integrated chips in connected objects, robots, geolocation, and automated surveillance of all communications. We are far beyond Orwell’s “1984”, and the idea of France as a totalitarian country isn’t so far-fetched.

In a televised debate with former prime minister Manuel Valls in 2022, portrayed in the graphic novel, Marine Le Pen says: “You speak to me of responsibility, you who were in favour of passing laws. Me, I apply them.” The events then accelerate on a global scale, with a new US president and dizzying range of geopolitical consequences. In Paris, Berlin and Madrid, new alignments emerge, even as the French president oversees the education of “a new citizen”.

And when the time comes for the election, darkness wins again: the surprise candidate is imprisoned and Marion Maréchal–Le Pen is elected president after a single term by Marine Le Pen.

Dark thriller

‘La Présidente’, volume 3, ‘La Vague’. Les Arènes

The third volume, “La Vague”, released at the end of March, unleashes a scenario worthy of the darkest thrillers. At this point, France will have struggled through two five-year terms under the FN. There is resistance, but also unquestioning support. With an alliance between Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Le Pen, is there any chance that democracy can make a comeback?

One way to read this science-fiction graphic novel is as an explicit criticism of the totalitarianism that could result were the FN to take power in May 2017 and the rise of nationalist politicians around the world. It also announces the end of a generation of leaders that has governed in a short-sighted way, as well as – and this is the reading I choose – the failure of a system where insiders reserve all the power and benefits for themselves, while leaving no place for the civility and mutual respect that are the very foundation of politics.

---

“La Vague”, “La Présidente” and “Totalitaire” are published by Les Arènes, Paris, France.

About Today's Contributor:
Beatrice Mabilon-Bonfils, Sociologue professeure d'université, Université de Cergy-Pontoise

 This article was originally published on The Conversation. 

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Dutch Philosopher Koert van Mensvoort, Founder of the Next Nature Network, Writes a #LetterToHumanity

Dutch philosopher Koert van Mensvoort has written a ‘Letter to Humanity’ in support of International Earth Day. 
(PRNewsfoto/Next Nature Network)

Dutch philosopher Koert van Mensvoort - founder of the Next Nature Network and Fellow of 'Next Nature' at the University of Technology in Eindhoven - has written a 'Letter to Humanity' in support ofInternational Earth Day. In this letter, he calls on humanity to avoid becoming a slave and victim to its own technology, but to employ technology to enhance our human race.

His letter is addressed to all 7 billion people on Earth. It has been translated into 25 languages right around the world and is endorsed by international ambassadors such as astronaut André Kuipers, philosopher Bas Haring, designer Daan Roosegaarde, National Geographic presenter Jason Silva and experimental architecture Professor Rachel Armstrong. 

>> The letter can be read here. <<

In his letter, Van Mensvoort describes how Man has entered a new evolutionary phase and that, apart from creating the biosphere, has now also created a so-called technosphere. According to him, its impact is similar to the evolution of animals 500 million years ago. "Your presence is transforming the face of the earth so profoundly, that it will still be evident millions of years from now", he writes.

According to him, Man is standing at a crossroads and can develop his relationship with technology either into a dream or into a nightmare. In the nightmare scenario, technology has a parasitic effect on human beings and we become the first species to cause its own demise. In the dream, human technology is based on human needs as a starting point and it is actually used to create a more natural world. The latter path is not only rewarding for mankind, but for the entire planet.

Koert van Mensvoort is a philosopher, artist and Fellow 'Next Nature' at the TU in Eindhoven. He is the founder of the Next Nature Network, a foundation that explores and visualises the extent to which we are surrounded by a technology that is becoming our 'next nature'. This international network now has members in twenty countries.

The Teaser
    

Examples of other projects by the Next Nature Network are the ECOcoin that rewards positive sustainable activity, a fictional sneaker company that raises a discussion on biotechnology and research into the impact of cultured meat.

SOURCE: Next Nature Network

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Texas Instruments And NASA Launch Virtual Scavenger Hunt With Out-Of-This-World Prizes

Texas Instruments and NASA have partnered to launch “The Search for STEMnauts,” a virtual scavenger hunt that challenges students to unravel space-related riddles for a chance to win stellar prizes.

Texas Instruments (TI) and NASA today launched "The Search for STEMnauts," a virtual scavenger hunt designed to ignite students' interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Each week, for the next six weeks, students in sixth through 12th grade are challenged to solve space-related puzzles for a chance to unlock virtual reward points. The student team with the most points at the end of the challenge wins an out-of-this-world prize pack, including TI's new limited-edition Galaxy Gray graphing calculator, a $500 Amazon gift card, a stellar NASA swag bag and a live video chat with an astronaut.

The weekly challenges range in difficulty from beginner to advanced and introduce students to the coding and problem-solving skills NASA employees, including astronauts, use in their jobs every day. From cracking a code using TI's basic programming language to calculating the travel time between Earth and Mars, students will put their STEM skills to the test.

"The future of space exploration lies in the hands of students in today's classrooms," said Peggy Whitson, a NASA astronaut who has been to outer space three times and is currently living and working on the International Space Station. "By creating opportunities to encourage teamwork, creativity and problem-solving, we can make learning fun and set students on a course to become the next generation of explorers."

Students who accept the mission will automatically be entered to win TI's new Galaxy Gray TI-84 Plus CE, one of the coolest STEM tools on planet Earth. Students are also invited along on weekly virtual field trips, offering exclusive, behind-the-scenes access to NASA's headquarters. Student teams can check out where they stand, in relation to their classmates and other competing teams from around the country, by following real-time updates to the "Search for STEMnauts" leaderboard on the contest website: STEMnauts.com.

"We've added a high-tech, interactive twist to the traditional scavenger hunt that will appeal to all students," said Peter Balyta, Ph.D, President of Texas Instruments Education Technology. "By making a game out of learning important skills, like coding and problem-solving, we hope to foster a life-long love of STEM and open students up to a variety of exciting career opportunities."

The Video:

International Space Station (ISS) Flight Engineer Peggy Whitson and Commander Shane Kimbrough invite students to enter “The Search for STEMnauts” contest. Watch this short video from the ISS to learn more about this virtual scavenger ...

To view the official contest rules and to accept the mission, visit: www.STEMnauts.com.

SOURCE: Texas Instruments