Sweet and festive lemon desserts for Easter

Planks and Presidential Politics

Even after 30 days of daily planks, my core felt significantly stronger, and my back was in much better shape. In politics, French President Emmanuel Macron secured first place ahead of far-right leader Marine Le Pen in the first round of France’s presidential election on Sunday. Despite this lead, the upcoming second-round contest promises to be much tighter than five years ago.

Polling suggests Macron is likely to retain the presidency in two weeks, but the first-round results indicate that he cannot take victory for granted.

Marine Le Pen benefits from support among voters of far-right TV pundit-turned-politician Eric Zemmour, who urged his followers to back her on April 24. Meanwhile, leftist Jean-Luc Mélenchon exceeded expectations, creating uncertainty as his supporters are politically diverse. Some may abstain in the second round, while others could split their votes between Macron and Le Pen.

Key Takeaways from the First Round

Here are five key takeaways from the first round of France’s presidential election:

A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.

The repeat of the 2017 runoff highlights that the traditional left-right divide has shifted to a contest between a pro-European, outward-looking mainstream bloc and nationalist forces. Both Macron and Le Pen increased their vote share compared to five years ago, leaving traditional right and left parties in a weakened state. Macron rose from 24% in the 2017 first round to 27.6% this year, while Le Pen went from 21.3% to 23.4%.

The wider gap between Macron and Le Pen shows that the incumbent retained the most votes despite campaign controversies, including criticism of government consultancy spending. Meanwhile, the combined far-right bloc — Le Pen, Zemmour, and nationalist Nicolas Dupont-Aignan — captured over 30% of the total vote.

Historical Context and Cultural Insights

Looking back at the 1920s, historian David M. Kennedy observed that Frederick Lewis Allen’s “Only Yesterday” lacked depth, often attributing societal change solely to World War I. Allen’s detailed descriptions of parties highlighted cultural shifts, such as women smoking and breaking traditional social conventions.

Published in 1931, Allen’s book chronicles the vibrant energy of the decade, capturing trends, fads, and societal transformations. It remains a lively account of the 1920s, blending novelty with historical insight.

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A notable property, featuring a 30-seat screening room, a 100-seat amphitheater, and a swimming pond with sandy beach and outdoor shower, was initially listed at around $40 million. Jennifer Lopez acquired the estate for $28 million while looking to sell her gated California compound.

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Historian Paula Fass suggests that viewing the 1920s merely as a series of novelties preserves the illusion of our own simple innocence.

Far-Right Alliances and Political Shifts

The possibility of a long-term far-right alliance remains uncertain. Nicolas Bay and Gilbert Collard, former MEPs who left Le Pen’s party to join Zemmour, did not endorse a potential alliance with Le Pen should she win the second round.

Eric Zemmour, the 63-year-old TV pundit-turned-politician, had been considered a strong contender for second place behind Macron. However, his support collapsed amid credibility concerns tied to the Ukraine war and past comments praising Russian President Vladimir Putin, leaving him with just 7% of the vote. Despite fierce rivalry, Zemmour quickly endorsed Le Pen.

“I have disagreements with Marine Le Pen,” Zemmour stated in his concession speech, “but facing a candidate who has allowed 2 million immigrants… who would perform worse if reelected, I call on my voters to support Marine Le Pen.”