The French election results have been interpreted through the lens of US and UK politics, but this framework ignores the political strategy that led Macron to victory.  The diagnosis of a fracture between the educated, urban cosmopolitans and the rural, poorly educated, anti-globalists might be part of the story, as is the dissolution of France’s traditional centre-left and centre-right parties. But what this narrative ignores is that Macron is not the passive victim of this political landscape, somehow managing to navigate it, but its creator. Macron’s strategy was to dominate the political centre of French politics -  the resulting polarization was the reason behind his victory, argues Stathis Kalyvas.

Emmanuel Macron just won a new presidential term in France by defeating his far-Right opponent Marine Le Pen by 58,54% to 41,46%. His election caused considerable relief, as a victory for the far right would have posed a major threat to both domestic and international institutions.  At the same time, however, the dominant mood was more one of concern and apprehension than elation or joy. Although Marine Le Pen failed to win, she obtained an unprecedented share of the vote. But the main narratives and framing of this result misunderstand the reasons behind Macron’s victory, and the strategy that lead him to it.