France embraces itself for the Presidential elections at a time of uncertainty and conflict brewing in Europe. The first round of elections was concluded on 10 April bringing President Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen face-to-face once again since their candidature in 2017. The French President won 27.6 percent of the votes at the end of the first round while his rival Marine Le Pen garnered 23.4 percent. The current circumstances starkly vary in comparison to the elections in 2017 primarily due to the ongoing war in Ukraine which has now become a fundamental factor for the French citizens. While multiple polls suggest that President Macron should retain his presidency, Marine Le Pen is likely to close in thereby opening French and European politics to newer scenarios. The first round of elections has also dented the aspirations of former ruling parties as both the Socialist Party and Les Républicains’ candidates received less than 5 percent of the votes. The outcome of the French elections could play a monumental role at a time when Europe, NATO and the European Union are seeking stability and progress to counter Russia.
The Observer Research Foundation (ORF) is pleased to initiate a round of discussion between the French and Indian analysts on the outcomes of the French elections and postulate its effects on the future of European governance.
8:00 – 8:05 PM IST, 3:30 – 3:35 BST, 4:30 – 4:35 CEST | Welcome Interventions | Vivek Mishra (Moderator)
8:05 – 8:15 PM IST, 3:35 – 3:45 BST, 4:35 – 4:45 CEST | Opening Intervention | Ummu Salma Bava
8:15 – 8:25 PM IST, 3:45 – 3:55 BST, 4:45 – 4:55 CEST | Opening Intervention | Dr. Jean – Yves Camus
8:25 – 8:35 PM IST, 3:55 – 4:05 BST, 4:55 – 5:05 CEST | Opening Intervention | Mathilde Cuilla
8:35 – 8:45 PM IST, 4:05 – 4:15 BST, 5:05 – 5:15 CEST | Opening Intervention | Rahul Kamath
8:45 – 8:55 PM IST, 4:15 – 4:25 BST, 5:15 – 5:25 CEST | Open Discussion by Panelists
8:55 – 9:00 PM IST, 4:25 – 4:30 BST, 5:25 – 5:30 CEST | Concluding Remarks and Vote of Thanks | Vivek Mishra (Moderator)
