“REPUBLIQUE EN MARCHE” DICTATES

After winning the French presidential election with over 60% of the expressed votes cast in his favour, Emmanuel Macron is also transforming from mere “En Marche” to “République en Marche” in order to curry the favour of those who believe that what brought their Vth Republic to life when General Charles de Gaulle proclaimed, as the Algeria – Franco war raged on between 1956 – 58, “L’Afrique aux Africanis” – leave Africa for Africans. He felt it was high time France acknowledged the right for any given people to decide for themselves how they wanted to be governed.

Emmanuel Macron

It did not go well for most of his compatriots; especially as there were millions of French people living in Algeria who could not fathom a better life elsewhere than in Algeria; they were known then as “les pieds noirs” that is, white people with black legs, as the reverse then was also “les Nègres Français” – Negros transformed to French people. It was a time when people like Senghor, Boigny Cesar were Africans heading Ministries in France; not exactly like the recent one promoted by Sarkozy to assuage the minorities in France; having Blacks and Arabs as ministers manning strategic ministries.

As it didn’t work, Hollande changed direction; and for Macron who served under him as both economic adviser and Budget Minister, it was not enough approach to get the Republic on the right move; hence his “En Marche and now “République En Marche”…

Like the prognostics before the election, that his chances were getting narrowed down which did not happen, his penchant to give human rights’ activists more than half of the electoral constituents, “En Marche” is presenting candidates to be its torch bearers as defending “République En Marche”, people are also thinking that his chances to secure the majority seats of 288 out of the 577 contested for is in jeopardy.

How could people be worried for a presidential candidate who inaugurated his party, “En Marche” in 6th April 2016, resigned from Hollande’s government on 30th August 2016, declared his ambition on 16th November, 2016 and forged alliance with his greatest fear in torpedoing his ambition in the person of Sarkozy’s Prime Minister, Bayrou and went ahead to win in May 2017.

Indeed, it seems not to be as former Prime Minister, Manuel Valls, who had declared intention to support Macron’s government and to run under Socialist ticket at the same time has given a room for reviewing Macron’s strategy. As socialist’ party opposes Valls’ move, it has been settled that no candidate of Macron’s party should stand against him in that constituency; hence a subtle entente with anyone in any party to relate clandestinely with Macron’s “République En Marche” to get such support.

So, it is expected that all the parties could have some of their candidates toeing the same line. However, “Parti des Républicains” of Fillon, the one who defeated Sarkozy in the primaries, seems to be the party that will cast the dice if not well carried along. And Marcon knows that very well hence his, now, ethos of “République En Marche”. If indeed you believe in the Republican ethos of France, symbolized in “Liberté, Egalité et Fraternite”, and echoed in the national anthem: “la Marseillaise”, you need no prompting to answer the call of the “Flag” as it is rendered in “la Marsaillaise”,

Before Macron entered into the presidential race, it was reported that his wife, 24 years older than him and his mentor, had prepared the ground with extensive  meetings, lunch times and dinner parties with those whom she identified as going to be the “game players”. Such instances are not lacking in the forthcoming legislative elections. And, what is more, the greater asset of Marine Le Pen, her niece, Marion Marechal–Le Pen, had left the extreme right party viewing it as very rigid for her likeness.

So, the legislative election to come could also be a proof of what General de Gaulle clamoured for, when he was snubbed only to be recalled with a very great majority to lead France into its current Vth Republic. It is clear that parties’ faithful are going to decamp like Macron himself decamped from Socialist party. And in that decampment, new faithful to the “République en Marche” are going to surface.

Toubiret, former Attorney General, a black lady, is leading a new group for seemingly decamping purposes; Allain Juppé is also expected to rattle his centre right party just as other great “Enarquists” – the Alumni group of Ecole Normal d’Administration (ENA) – are preparing to extend a hand of fellowship to Macron. In effect, when Macron was in an obscure banking job, they were the ones who nominated him to serve in François Hollande’s government as an attempt to infuse youthful perspective to the Socialist party economic agenda. They are not going to let him down.

At worst, as already expressed, he will be a president ordering the Republican party to constitute a government for “République En Marche presidency; that is what French people call co-habitation. François Mitterrand co-habitated with “Republicans as well for the 14 years he remained the President of France with great harmony. Note that even his successor, a Gaullist, Jacques Chirac was once his Prime Minister.

All said and done, it is expected that with Macron’s intelligence and Brigitte’s relentless effort for bringing together the right game players, “République En Marche” will secure the majority to have the right Prime Minister intended by Emmanuel Macron and his mentor Brigitte; if not even his campaign manager, the child of Brigitte, an age mate of Macron, from her first husband. As French people will say, “L’étendard est levé”, defend the Nation; the flag is up, calling you to obey National call.

VICTOR C. ARIOLE, PhD Professor of French and Francophone Studies University of Lagos.