FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION - FRANCE DECIDES! PART 1.

Let the people of France bask in the euphoric expectation, the anticipation of the next President of the French Republic! 

Let Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron and their supporters, from their and the defeated parties, which are now offering them their qualified and unqualified tactical support, prepare themselves for that fateful day of 7th May 2017. 

When all will become clear as to who is to be the next President of France. When we shall see whether Macron, the apparent heir to the Throne, will be confirmed as such.  

Or whether it will be the once feared Marine Le Pen, who will have caused an unexpected upset. 

Except for the pundits who believe that the politics of the west, if not of the world in general, has become 'revolutionised,' or radically different from what it has previously been.

Both the contenders, Macron and Le Pen, have their weaknesses and their strengths. Their desirable policies and their undesirable ones, in the eyes of the different views of the supporters. 

A Le Pen Presidency, arguably, would result in better relations between France and Russia.  

And would therefore give a boost to Franco-Russian trade, and probably an upsurge in job creation in France. 

For the ordinary French citizen who needs job to pay his/her way in the world, and the French farmer and business men and women, this would most likely be of positive benefit. 

It would make good economic sense.  Although it might be opposed by those of the electorate who take the view that, it is legitimate and desirable to use economics and trade as a weapon to fight international political conflict

For the government of Ukraine, eg, such an improvement in Franco-Russian relations could be a the cost of a deterioration in Franco-Ukrainian relations.  

As well as causing some stress in France's relationship with her Nato and EU partners. 

By the exercise of independent French action, breaching the 'all for one and one for all principle', which binds the Nato and EU countries.  Although Marine Le Pen is already known for being at odds with the EU. 

And we have seen how different Nato and EU countries have broken rank with 'OFAAAFO' principle, over the migrant and refugee issue.

A rapprochement between France and Russia could also see France taking a more independent position from her Nato and EU partners, in her approach towards the Syria proxy war. 

Probably one which would see her as being more accommodating and supportive of the Russian, Iranian, Lebanese approach towards bringing that war to an end.

The issue of how Le Pen and Macron effectively deals with France's immigration and inter-ethnic problems and inequalities, remains a major issue. 

Especially now that this issue has become more complicated with violent impact of the Islamic extremism add on. 

Le Pen, wrongly, believes that the solution is simply to remove all the people she sees as posing a threat to France.  Whereas Macron, rightly, sees the solution as being more complex. 

Are Macron and Le Pen right in seeing 'Islamic extremism' as the biggest threat to France? 

Are there not other more traditional problems - unemployment, poverty, civil strife - which are of greater, even if not more immediate importance? 

Problems and issues which will be with the French people long after the war on terror have abated, and which can be made worse, by how the war on terror is fought?

It is therefore more than likely that a Le Pen Presidency would result in a radical change in some significant areas of French national and international life and affairs. 

Not to mention the fact that Le Pen would also be the first woman President of the French Republic. 

Are the undesirable aspects of Marine Le Pen's proposed policies, such that they outweigh the desirable ones, and the milestone of her being the first female President of France? 

Would she, for example, be less of a war-monger and latter day empire builder than Hollande and, probably, a President Macron?

After all, however racist and anti-immigrant and anti-EU some of Le Pen's policies are and seem to be.  It is well known that politicians never deliver all that they promise. 

And that the assumption of power, as President Donald Trump is finding out, can be a greater moderator of the incumbent's tendency to indulge in excesses. Especially in a liberal democracy such as France.