POINT MADE
Macron’s souflé collapses
Emmanuel Macron got into the Elysée Palace thanks to a crisis of credibility in the traditional French parties. Young and telegenic, he was presented to the public as a regenerator of politics, who eschewed politicking and was centrist, for common ground. But initial fascination with the new leader soon faded. Firstly, because typically of those who say they are centrists, he made right-wing moves, and even more seriously, he’s hidden himself away from the first serious crisis he’s faced, the ’yellow vest’ protests. Like a certain Rajoy, he’s pushed his second-in-command, Edouard Philippe, onto the frontline. It is expected he might soon make an appearance, but he’s no longer got any credibility, so need he bother?