War in Ukraine: for candidate Macron, "it's a boon", says Jérôme Sainte-Marie

Solène Leroux 5:43 p.m., February 27, 2022, modified at 5:44 p.m., February 27, 2022

TO ANALYSE

Every Sunday at midday on Europe 1, it's Thierry Dagiral's presidential meeting: the political zoom-out with Jérôme Sainte-Marie.

The political scientist and president of the Pollingvox institute looks back on the political events of the week.

Yesterday morning, around 7:30 a.m., Emmanuel Macron quickly inaugurated the Agricultural Show.

He mentioned the war in Ukraine: "The war has returned to Europe. Certainly, there will be consequences," he assured.

"If I had to give you one conviction this morning, it is that this war will last. But all the crises that will follow will have lasting consequences," he said on this occasion.

>> Find the weekend midday newspaper in podcast and replay here

A chance for Macron?

A complicated situation for the president, both warlord and future candidate, while the head of state must declare himself within the week.

For Emmanuel Macron, is this an opportunity or a disadvantage?

"For the President of the Republic, it is of course a terrible burden. He must arbitrate between the prosperity of France and the sanctions vis-à-vis Russia", first explained Jérôme Sainte-Marie.

>> READ ALSO -

 Presidential: why the war in Ukraine can benefit Emmanuel Macron

"But for candidate Emmanuel Macron", he continued, "it has to be said, it's a godsend" according to the political scientist, since "it completely freezes the debate on the presidential election when issues were going to be discussed on which he could have been in difficulty".

Questions "relating to industry, purchasing power, the future of health or pensions", he listed.

"For now, all that should be spared him for a few days, maybe a few weeks. And in six weeks, it's the first round."

The other inaudible candidates

At the same time, the other candidates are inaudible according to him.

"There are candidates who choose to defend Vladimir Putin. I choose Ukraine, I choose democracy and I choose absolute firmness vis-à-vis dictators. That's my choice", notably declared Valérie Pécresse yesterday.

“Not only are the results and the project of the President of the Republic no longer discussed, but in addition, the various oppositions are torn apart”, detailed the political scientist.

Valérie Pécresse's statement "is an implicit accusation against Marine Le Pen a little, Éric Zemmour, much more", because the candidate LR "is trying to stop the bleeding of her voting intentions". 

>> READ ALSO -

 Presidential: why the campaign is struggling to interest the French

A situation that applies as much for the right as for the left according to him.

Jérôme Sainte-Marie explained in

that many left-wing voters, "by a useful voting reflex", were attracted by the candidacy of Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

"The campaign of the head of rebellious France was taking off," even assured the political scientist.

"And there, suddenly, ecologists and socialists among others are brandishing a supposed complicity, tolerance or compromise of rebellious France with Russia."

Dissensions which tear apart "the oppositions", which makes "more and more difficult any postponement of votes in the second round", while "the outgoing president continues to lead an extraordinarily quiet non-campaign", asserted Jerome Sainte-Marie.