





Emmanuel Macrons’ cunning and surreal plan to springboard the French far-right into a modicum of power in a snap election just to prove they were inept has spectacularly backfired. The electorate took fright after the first round when Marie Le Pen’s RN party surged to prominence – as they did in 2002 when her father Jean-Marie Le Pen had a successful first round and faced Jaques Chirac in the run off, only to be overwhelmingly defeated. This time a cobbled together coalition of far-left, centre-left and Green alliance won, with Macron’s Party second.
Not that Le Pen’s National Rally is facing a wipe out since it is likely to be the largest single party in French parliament; and although disappointed Le Pen thinks they have a solid foundation for a 2027 victory.
In the near future, parliamentary paralysis is likely along with Macron’s ability to govern effectively; with firebrand leftist Jean-Luc Mélenchon calling on the president to resign. The New Popular Front coalition which won, is calling for controls on food prices, a reinstatement of the right to retire at 60, and wants to raise the minimum wage and increase business taxes. This would cost the country billions of euros – and risk tipping the French economy into a bigger crisis than ever as well as putting France on a collision course with Brussels over tax and spending.
France is already struggling to cut its addiction to borrowing; with a budget deficit widening to 5.5pc of GDP last year. The EU has a goal of annual borrowing reduced to 3pc of GDP by 2027.
France (see 10th June post) is undergoing a volcanic upheaval at the moment with tr Uranus exactly opposition the Mars in Scorpio now (repeating into early 2025) at the same time as the Solar Arc Sun is squaring the revolutionary, disruptive Uranus opposition Pluto in coming months into 2025. The Solar Arc Sun won’t be finished its explosive move round France’s Uranus, Pluto, Mars T square until late 2028 – which if Macron’s presidency holds till 2027 will make the next election exceedingly bad tempered. And if the start time of 3.30pm is accurate tr Uranus will be opposition the Sagittarius Moon as well in 2027 which will make for an electorate even more unsettled and truculent than usual. By 2029 calm may prevail.
Marine Le Pen and her sidekick Bardella always did look both pleased and frustrated by this mixed result. High hopes one moment, defeat the next, but still it is progress for them. By 2027 she is on her Second Saturn Return with her yod focal planet Saturn under a heavy burden of responsibility and probably, despite a confident push, not quite getting her across the finish line first.
Jean-Luc Melenchon, 19 August 1951 8.20am Tangier, Morocco, is having a discouraging and uphill struggle through the rest of this year with tr Pluto opposition his Mars and trine his Saturn/ But tr Jupiter moving across his Midheaven and 10th from May 2025 along with Solar Arc Jupiter conjunct his Midheaven will keep him buoyant in 2026/27. Tr Uranus is exactly square his Leo Sun at the moment for this extraordinary twist of fate which has thrust him to unexpected political heights.
It was never going to be a good run for Macron with tr Saturn moving below the 28 degree Capricorn Ascendant on his personal chart since early 2020. Indeed the surprise is that he won in 2022. Saturn through the First Quadrant for ambitious, ego-centred types is always replete with banana skins and bad judgement calls.
Will he resign? His Second Term chart from May 2022 has tr Uranus conjunct the Taurus Sun and square Saturn in a tense, disruptive run until April 2025. And his initial Presidency chart from 14 May 2017 has the topple-off-perch SA Pluto square Uranus exactly now, which may well have propelled him into impulsive action. It does not mean he will definitely go but it is the most unstable moment of his reign.
There do look to be ructions between France and the EU with tr Uranus square the composite Saturn now into 2025 as well as tr Uranus opposition the Pluto and then Mars this year until 2026 – so a fight back against Brussels’ centralised power and regulations looks likely.
Add On: Useful piece by French journalist Anne-Elisabeth Moutet. “Macron reigns over a field of political rubble.”
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/07/08/macron-reigns-over-a-field-of-political-rubble
Also: Mélenchon, a divisive figure, has been nicknamed France’s Jeremy Corbyn. Suggestions of anti-Semitism have surrounded him as well as pro-Hamas comments. He has offered tepid support for Ukraine and previously appeared supportive not only of Vladimir Putin, but also of autocratic leaders in South America. Both Hugo Chavez, the late Venezuelan president, and China’s Chairman Mao have won his admiration.