The Times view on the 2022 French election: Macron’s Triumph

Macron must now prove that he is neither arrogant, out of touch nor short of vision

LEWIS JOLY/AP

President Macron’s victory in the French election is a personal triumph for a man who faced widespread opposition to his reforms and style of government during his first term, who delayed the start of his campaign until the last moment and who faced a populist candidate able to mobilise voter disillusion and anti-immigrant sentiment. He defied the reluctance of French voters to give a president a second term and became the first to win re-election since Jacques Chirac in 2002.

Europe, Nato and the French establishment will be much relieved. A victory by Marine Le Pen would have been disastrous for the concerted efforts of the western alliance to show solidarity in the face of President Putin’s aggression. It would have called into question France’s