French voters must choose between the lesser of two evils: Macron or Le Pen | Philippe Marlière
(The Guardian France)

Macron is arrogant and incompetent with no solid backing. But if he wins power he can be opposed. The same cannot be said of Marine Le PenThe presidential run-off between Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen poses a dilemma for many French progressive voters: the former is seen as one of the main architects of François Hollande´s most unpopular pro-market and antisocial policies, such as the labour law reforms, which dismantled vital workers´ rights. If elected, Macron promises a hardened version of those reforms which have destroyed the Socialist party. Le Pen, no less neoliberal than her opponent (she has a similar socio-economic platform to Donald Trump´s), proposes an authoritarian regime in which the old obsessions of French fascism could thrive: bashing Muslims, anti-immigration, as well as curbing civil liberties.Between two evils, which one should the left choose? The answer seems deceivingly straightforward: how could a leftwinger choose the Front National? But Macron´s arrogance and incompetence are not helpful. On Tuesday, he went on television to request no less than a `vote of adhesion` against Le Pen.Macron could yet make terrible blunders and repel a swath of left-leaning voters Related: Frontrunner Macron can take nothing for granted in French election runoff | Angelique Chrisafis Continue reading...