En Marche!

France woke up today with a new French President elect. In what ended up being a landslide election our adopted country (for now) has its youngest-ever President.

And the lucky man is still in his 30s.

I possibly take more interest in politics than your average Jo Blog but I have found it fascinating being here for both rounds of voting. In Paris the French were very orderly with their electioneering. Every so often a row of temporary metal stands were erected with each of the 11 candidates displaying one poster. Aside from those there was no physical evidence that an election was imminent. In fact, I’d count the ratio of guns on streets to electioneering posters at 1000:1. We saw Parisians voting at the local school, entering under the forever present ‘liberty, egality, fraternity’. For me, it was highly exciting.

Since we have reached the south we have been exposed to a lot more posters (although nothing like we would have to tolerate back in New Zealand), but Macron has been practically absent. We’ve become very familiar with the intricacies of Marine’s blonde locks and silent-assassin smile. Obviously his campaign team knew posters would not be money well spent. Unnecessary outlay.

Yesterday, during a family game of Go-Home-Stay-Home in the green patch next to the Malaucene Marie (Town Hall) we were then able to watch the locals voting for their President.

And what a sight last night to see thousands of Parisians standing in the courtyard of the Louvre each waving the French flag. God bless the French flag.  It gives me shivers down my spine. Whether alone or en masse it has such a powerful impact that I could not possibly imagine Red Peak or any of the other feeble options being able to achieve.

It’s not just its general appearance (who wouldn’t love red, white and blue) that makes it so effective but the French obsession with its complete overuse. Matilda counted 25 on the Hotel de Ville in Avignon today.

So for today, a homage to the French Flag. Vive la France (and long live the plight of the older woman - they call her the new Michelle Obama…).