Emmanuel Macron has won the French Presidential election with two-thirds of a low turnout, spurred to an unexpected victory by the embezzlement scandal of Francois Fillon and the anyone-but-Le-Pen vote. He has promised fresh faces from outside politics, an overhaul of the established political system and a new kind morality in political life. He faces two key questions ahead. 1. Can he govern and reform France with a likely politically diverse cabinet – and probably a divided parliament as well after the June parliamentary elections? 2. Can he back up his campaign promise to reform the EU? He said recently: ‘the dysfunction of the EU is no more sustainable. I do consider that my mandate, the day after, will be at the same time to reform in depth the European Union and our European project.’ If he were to allow the EU to continue to function as it was, it would be a “betrayal” which would lead to the prospect of a “Frexit”.
He’s a Sun Sagittarius trine Saturn in Virgo, with Venus Mercury and Neptune also in Sagittarius; and a Fixed T square onto a focal point Mars in Leo – so certainly enthusiastic, with a dogged, single-minded persistence and headstrong from that Mars.
France is notoriously resistant to reform so no surprises that he’s running into deadlocks and frustrations in 2018/2019, though he won’t give up easy and will push bullishly ahead nonetheless. With some explosive moments in 2018; and success in 2019. What will help him is his Solar Arc Jupiter which brought him to prominence this year (with an added dollop of luck) as it was conjunct his Mars and moves in the next three years to aspect his Moon Uranus in his Fixed T Square.
What’s more interesting to a non-French audience, are his relations with the EU. His Jupiter is conjunct the EU’s MC, which, according to Sakoian & Acker, can suggest he will influence the EU to acquire a more ethical approach. His Taurus Moon is conjunct the EU’s Taurus Moon, and his Mars square Uranus bounces off the rest of the EU’s Fixed Grand Cross, so he will make an impact – his bulldozer tactics meets the EU deep-rooted intransigence head on. His Saturn is conjunct the EU’s Pluto and square the EU Mars, so there will be mighty clashes along the way in a competition for the upper hand.
More importantly even than the EU, is his relationship with Germany, who effectively holds the purse strings. Macron’s Pluto is conjunct Merkel’s MC and conjunct Germany’s Ascendant, so he will definitely try to remake attitudes. But German’s 8th house Pluto is conjunct his Moon and Germany’s Saturn is conjunct his Sun, so he’ll be pretty firmly stockaded by German’s power and interests. His relationship chart with Germany has a composite Moon opposition Saturn square an 8th house Pluto, so pretty hard to budge on either side. He certainly dislikes Jean Claude Juncker but he won’t be around for much longer; and his relationship with Merkel will be logjammed and infuriated till late 2018, but again she may not stay the course till his presidency ends.
The France/Germany relationship chart will run into stormy weather in 2018 with tr Uranus opposition the composite Mars; and tr Saturn square Pluto; and be in a state of confusion in 2019/2020.
He certainly dislikes the UK with a composite Mars opposition Pluto, trine/sextile Saturn and Uranus – all of which is being upended over the next two or three years. His relationship with Theresa May has a composite Mars opposition Neptune – if one side wins the other loses, so an ego-clash. With a hostile and uncompromising composite Mars trine Pluto Uranus.
He does have a strong 17th Harmonic, so despite his political inexperience and vague campaign promises he could make his mark.
Beautifully put thought in today’s Times: ‘France has a three-round presidential election. The first two are decided by the voters and the third by the mob that rises to oppose the newcomer’s attempts to reform.’ And guess what? They’re out on the streets today demonstrating against labour reforms. Sigh.
I had read that over the weekend, the unions demonstrating on Monday against any kind of change. Would they hv still gone on strike if Le Pen had won?
No, not at the start. She had promised them bread and circuses, even more lavish welfare, no jobs cuts. No indication of how she was going to pay for it all, since France already has swingeing taxes, much higher than elsewhere; a bloated public sector, which soaks up 57% of GDP, overly generous welfare, health and unemployment. Unemployment benefit pays on average 65% of previous earnings. It’s all quite unsustainable but any hint of reform and out come the pitchforks onto the street and successive governments have just backed down.
I’m all for interesting times, esp with my sights on relocating to la France. Definitely a more sane place than the US and Team Drompf.
Oh dear. More ‘interesting’ times ahead. It’s exhausting. Thanks Marjorie.