Macron win best for free nations

The alliance of free nations opposing Vladimir Putin’s onslaught against Ukraine should breathe easier after Emmanuel Macron’s decisive win in France’s presidential election. As his hissy fit last November over AUKUS and the Morrison government’s contract for nuclear-powered submarines showed, the French leader may not always be a well-informed or understanding ally. But Marine Le Pen, his far-right opponent in Sunday’s final round of voting, made herself almost unelectable because of her incomprehensible admiration for and close links to Mr Putin. That is why Mr Macron’s re-election for a second five-year term was always going to be the best outcome for the West.

Both Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese were quick off the mark in congratulating Mr Macron. The point the Prime Minister made in saying France remained “an important partner to Australia in the Indo-Pacific” was particularly pertinent. Victory for Ms Le Pen would have been a gift for Mr Putin at one of the most critical moments in the world’s post-war history. During the campaign she tried to jettison some of her toxic far-right baggage and adopt more moderate policy positions. Her baggage included her party’s past acceptance of loans from a Kremlin-linked bank. Such largesse never ends well.

Despite Ms Le Pen’s attempts to rebrand herself, she remained barely able to bring herself to condemn Russia’s illegal assault on Ukraine. She remained firm in her support for Kremlin ambitions such as France’s withdrawal from NATO’s command structure. Ms Le Pen in the Elysee Palace calling for the West to accommodate the Russian tyrant, even as his criminal rampage reduced Ukraine’s cities and towns to rubble, would have been a disaster. Mr Macron was lucky to have her as his opponent.

There were times during the campaign when it appeared voters could deliver a Trump- or Brexit-style shock in favour of Ms Le Pen. In the end Mr Macron got 58.6 per cent of the vote, Ms Le Pen 41.4 per cent. That represented a decline for Mr Macron from the 66.1 per cent he got when he faced off against Ms Le Pen five years ago, when she received 33.9 per cent.

Ms Le Pen, with 13 million votes against Mr Macron’s 19 million, continues to give voice to the frustrations of France’s right, especially over immigration and the dictates of Brussels. After what was her third crack at winning the presidency, she will, at 53, remain a powerful influence as she articulates the fears of many French people. That includes supporters of the gilets jaunes (yellow vests) protest movement of workers doing it tough, despite the economic reforms achieved by Mr Macron.

Even without the threat to the Western alliance posed by Ms Le Pen, Mr Macron deserved to win and become the first French president elected to a second term since Jacques Chirac in 2002. Despite the popinjay arrogance and high-handedness for which he has been criticised, he had a solid record of achievements in his first term. He delivered important reforms of the labour market, tax and welfare systems that eluded his predecessors for a decade. France has its fastest job creation and lowest unemployment rate (7.4 per cent) for decades. If he is to succeed in his second term, he must continue to revitalise all aspects of the economy. Much will depend on June’s elections for the French National Assembly, in which Ms Le Pen’s party has only eight of 577 seats.

Sunday’s election leaves Mr Macron, 44, in a powerful position, not just as France’s leader but also as the holder of the rotating presidency of the 27 EU nations. He must use both positions to ensure Mr Putin is defeated. Mr Macron’s overtures to Mr Putin before and after the Ukraine invasion were not always helpful. But he has shown himself to be a defender of the rules-based world order and democratic values under assault from Mr Putin. What happens in Ukraine is pivotal to the future of Europe and the entire world. Buoyed by his victory, Mr Macron must show the leadership needed to help defeat Mr Putin.