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.
This is where the French constitution gets pretty vague, as to what happens when the assembly and the president aren’t aligned. But the president is left with little formal power. Tradition is that the winning camp decides the PM; there’s little question it would be Bardella if the far-right wins.
Le Pen clearly wants her candidates to be careful of saying most radical stuff rn. If they win in a week, expect laws within weeks to privatize public radio and TV, and other public services; & priority will surely be a harsh immigration bill. Le Pen wants to end birthright citizenship for one.
