- Title: German media happy but not emphatic about Macron victory
- Date: 19th June 2017
- Summary: COLOGNE, GERMANY (JUNE 19, 2017) (REUTERS) MAIN STATION OF COLOGNE PASSENGER AT ENTRANCE (SOUNDBITE) (German) PASSERBY, JUERGEN TILLACK, SAYING: "Well, the voter turnout was not at all what one could have wanted. But it's a great change in politics for France, as we all have already heard. The traditional parties have lost the voter's esteem - to say it bluntly. Now one can only hope that he (Emmanuel Macron) will achieve what he intends to with his élan and his youth, for all of us in Europe." (SOUNDBITE) (German) PASSERBY, ANTHONY GROSS, SAYING: "Well, I'm happy that it has happened this way. Because it shows that someone can inspire the people without the great party machine behind him, especially with the topic of Europe. I think it's great. I am very happy, indeed. But I haven't looked into it in detail but it certainly seems to be an obvious statement against declining nationalisation." (SOUNDBITE) (German) PASSERBY, CHRISTOPH BERNDORF, SAYING: "Well yes, he does have a lot of power. But he also needs a lot of power in order to implement the things that are desperately necessary in France. And we wish him best of luck."
- Embargoed: 3rd July 2017 08:01
- Keywords: France parliamentary elections second round Macron reactions
- Location: COLOGNE, BERLIN, GERMANY
- City: COLOGNE, BERLIN, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA0026LY08CN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Germans reacted positively on Monday (June 19) to the election victory of French President Emmanuel Macron's party LREM in the second round of the French parliamentary election on Sunday (June 18).
Macron's centrist Republic on the Move (LREM) party and its centre-right Modem ally won 350 seats out of 577 in the lower house, the results showed after a vote that saw a record low turnout for a parliamentary poll in the post-war Fifth Republic.
Though lower than forecast by pollsters in the run-up to the vote, Macron's majority swept aside France's main traditional parties, humiliating the Socialist and conservative The Republicans party that alternated in power for decades.
While many German papers praised his victory and called him "unstoppable", some went on with other events in the world, like the issue of Kohl's funeral and the EU lauding for a state ceremony.
Sunday's high abstention rate underlines that Macron will have to tread carefully with reforms in a country with muscular trade unions and a history of street protests that have forced many a past government to dilute new legislation.
Macron's twin victories in last month's presidential election and in Sunday's parliamentary vote mark the routing of the old political class.
Macron, France's youngest leader since Napoleon who had never before held elected office, seized on the growing resentment towards a political elite perceived as out of touch, and on public frustration at its failure to create jobs and spur stronger growth, to win the presidency.
His year-old party then filled the political space created by the disarray within the Socialist Party and the Republicans, with Sunday night capping a sequence of events that a year ago looked improbable.
The election saw a record number of women voted into parliament, due largely to Macron's decision to field a gender-balanced candidate list.
On Monday Macron's government promised to renew politics in France as final official results showed he had won the commanding parliamentary majority he wanted to push through his far-reaching pro-growth reforms. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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