A keen observer of French political life and regular contributor to the FigaroVox, Maxime Tandonnet has notably published André Tardieu. The misunderstood (Perrin, 2019).
Since the start of 2021, the media fashion has been in the “
second round
”
polls
between Mr. Macron and Ms. le Pen.
They give rise to an abundant logorrhea on the theme of a possible victory for the candidate of the National Rally.
Thus, on January 27, Harris Interactive estimated the difference between the two favorites of the poll at 52/48.
Then, at the beginning of March, the same institute evaluated the range at 53/47.
These projections are a hundred leagues from the result of May 2017: 66/34.
The weakening of the “
republican front
” (against the Lepéniste party) is the most commonly advanced explanation: part of the voters on the left and on the right would no longer consider “
blocking
” the RN.
Formerly, the purpose of polls was to provide information on the state of public opinion.
Today, at the dawn of 2021, they have become a real tool of massive manipulation.
In fact, the second rounds of the presidential election are never as expected.
A year before the 2012 election, a
Le Pen / Strauss Kahn
“
match
” was announced.
It was Sarkozy / Holland.
Twelve months before that of 2O17, the forecasts gave Juppé / Valls.
It was Macron / le Pen.
The relentlessness of the media and poll power to anchor the Macron / Le Pen duel is geared towards a single objective: to ensure the re-election of the current head of state.
Thus, the outrageous rehashing of the Macron / Le Pen duel is not for informational purposes.
Because no one knows in advance what the second round of 2022 will be. It is only to format opinion, to persuade it that there is no alternative to this confrontation.
The poll announcement of a tight second-round score between Ms. Le Pen and Mr. Macron is very helpful to the world.
Observers see it as a beautiful object of sensationalism which allows them to blacken pages.
The macronists find a reason to exist and to close ranks around the fight against
the
populist “
plague
” or the
nationalist
“
danger
”.
As for the Lepenists, they find themselves consolidated in the quasi-official opposition.
The obsessive determination of the media and poll power to anchor in the brains of the French the inevitability of the Macron / Le Pen duel is turned towards a single objective: to ensure the re-election of the current head of state.
Read also:
The poisoning of French democracy
Indeed, the day after a possible first round qualifying (as planned) Mr. Macron and Ms. Le Pen, an irresistible mechanism will set in motion to rediabolize the latter and announce the apocalypse in case it reaches the Elysee Palace. .
Why would the recipe that proved its worth in 2017 not succeed in 2022?
This is the bet.
Thus, the media and poll hype on the Le Pen / Macron duel aims to suffocate any prospect of the emergence of a solid competitor, on the right or on the left, likely to win the bet.
You don't want Madame le Pen?
The only solution is to vote for Mr. Macron.
You no longer want Mr. Macron?
You must support Mme le Pen.
In fact, polling institutes could test many other alternatives: what would Mme Pécresse, M. Retailleau or M. Bertrand give to Mme le Pen?
Or against Mr. Macron?
But such a prospect is ruled out because it would risk disturbing people's minds and disrupting many calculations.
All this outburst of polls and comments around the Macron / Le Pen duel marks a dizzying collapse of French political culture.
However, this propaganda is contrary to the will of deep France.
Another Elabe poll for BFMTV from February 13, 2020 revealed that 80% of the French did not want a Macron / le Pen second round duel.
In principle, the vast majority of voters refuse to have their conduct dictated.
Indeed, the fatality of the Macron-Le Pen duel, probably leading (despite misleading polls) to the re-election of the current occupant of the Elysee Palace, marks a disastrous weakening of democracy.
The people would not really have a choice.
Everything would already be in place for a second five-year term: in 2022, the French will only have to validate a choice that others have made for them for a long time.
To read also:
"Macron-Le Pen: the return match is far from being written!"
But there is much worse.
All this outburst of polls and comments around the Macron / Le Pen duel marks a dizzying collapse of French political culture.
Democratic life is as if devoured by the announced spectacle of this confrontation.
Everything which makes the wealth of a democracy, the debate of ideas, the reflection on the future, the choice of a social project, is pulverized, crushed by the battle of titans.
However, it is up to the French to comply with the refusal they express at 80% and say "
no
" to the disastrous scenario that is concocted to them.
Will they have the collective intelligence and strength of character?
We will find out in a few months.
