L’anti-Trump

If you believe the hype, Emmanuel Macron is l’anti-Trump. He is what the inter-national centre-left, reeling from the shocks of Brexit and the US election and fearful of a victory for Marine Le Pen in France, is crying out for: a politician who can win again. He is only 39 years old, handsome and radical sounding. He’s not a career politico; he used to work as a banker for the Rothschilds (every-body loves them). He wears sharp suits and he’s written a book called Révolution.

Better still, he has a buzzing movement behind him: his ‘En Marche!’ (Let’s go!) campaign has excited trendy progressives. He is not bogged down with formal connections to the loathed establishment. Surely he could beat Le Pen to the French presidency in the second-round vote on 7 May? Surely?

This week Macron came to London (France’s sixth city, in terms of number of French residents). At Methodist Central Hall he addressed a crowd of 3,500 mostly young Londoniens and the atmosphere was almost religious. It felt like a spiritual revival seminar for depressed Europhiles. Nick Clegg sat in the front row, looking for inspiration. Behind him lots of beautiful and well-dressed French millennials beamed at each other and chanted ‘Macron! Macron!’ Madonna’s ‘Like a Prayer’ was played. On a screen above the stage, pink messages flashed up saying ‘Partagez’ (Share) and ‘Adhérents’ (Members).

Macron began by mentioning Boris Johnson and the crowd booed and whistled at the mayor turned Brexiteer. ‘Never boo! Leave that to those who have no hope and no plans! We don’t boo,’ he said, and the crowd clapped and cheered.