AMA: if you have questions about what’s at stake in this first round, or what’s going on here, let me know and I’ll do my best to answer in next 30 minutes!
Voting has started in the French elections: expats voting for the 11 “abroad districts”, and residents of regions like Martinique or Guadeloupe away from mainland France, are voting today. Everyone else votes tomorrow. Results starting at 2pm ET.
You asked me the one question i cannot answer! His own cabinet had no idea as of an hour before. One theory is he really thought the left wouldn’t be able to ally; based on election rules, this would have been tremendously helpful to his party. He was entirely wrong.
Another theory is he fancies himself a grand figure of history, and this is as dramatic a power as French presidents have. Sounds silly but in character, and matches early reporting about the background of the few advisors who pushed for this.
