French President Macron, Louis XIV, Napoleon or Stalin?

This August 2017 video from France is called ‘Macron represents big bosses’: New labor reform sparks debates in France.

Another video used to say about itself:

Footage of thousands of people protesting against President Macron’s labour reforms in Marseille. Large crowds gathered on Thursday (November 16 2017) across the country to protest against Macron’s so-called liberal measures aimed at simplifying France’s “code du travail” (labour code). At least 170 protests were called all over the country by unions according to local media.

French President Macron has been compared to the kings of the French ancien régime absolute monarchy. Because then fanatical monarchists claimed these kings had the power to heal sick people miraculously (the ‘royal touch‘). And now, fanatical Macron supporters claim, Macron has the same miraculous powers.

More specifically, Macron has been compared to Louis XIV, the most absolute monarch of the absolute kings of the Bourbon dynasty.

Macron has been compared to Emperor Napoleon I as well.

Now, there are yet other comparisons.

Translated from Dutch NOS TV:

Party leader Macron: Mao, Stalin or pater familias?

Today, 11:00

The party of French President Emmanuel Macron, La République and Marche, today elects a leader. But it does not do that – as you might expect in France – in a very democratic way.

There is only one candidate and that man has been appointed by President Macron himself. It is Christophe Castaner, now still secretary of state in the government. The party can choose him or no one. …

That is what makes the party congress today in Lyon a kind of Chinese political theater play, say critics, with party members as applause robots and President Macron as Mao. The Great Leader decides and the followers nod benevolently. The comparison may seem out of place, but comes from Macron himself.

During his election campaign, he compared himself with the Chinese leader Mao, because everything went so efficiently. He also talked about a Cultural Revolution and his collaborators called Macron’s campaign jokingly ‘The Long March‘.

But the state of affairs at the party congress causes dissatisfaction among the members. Last week, party dissidents published a manifesto. It does not make the comparison with China, but with the Soviet Union in the 1950s.

“Freedom of speech does not exist and internal criticism of the leadership is not allowed,” they write about their own party. “The upcoming canonization of Christophe Castaner as the leader of the party offers little hope for party members who want more democracy.”

According to the dissidents, Macron behaves like a sort of Stalin, imposes his will and does not tolerate criticism.

All in all, therefore, Macron’s ambitions do not look easily achievable. Like Matteo Renzi in Italy (not so long ago the blue-eyed poster-boy of European politics) he could fall from grace as quickly as he has risen. In five years he may even be seen as the Louis XVI rather than the Louis XIV of French politics, a second Giscard rather than a second de Gaulle. For the moment, however, the glitz, glamour and glitter gives him the aura of a movie star. And he believes in his destiny. Only time will tell whether he is right to do so: here.

Related articles

• The Keepers of the Doomsday Clock Are Really, Really Worried About Donald Trump

Advertisement