# French Presidential Election, 2017
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-presidential-election-2017/781294
**Category:** Politics & Elections
**Created:** [March 3, 2017, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-presidential-election-2017/781294 "2017-03-03T14:29:26Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 6
### Author:  [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)
#### Post date: [May 5, 2017, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-presidential-election-2017/781294/101 "2017-05-05T15:36:18Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#):
>
> Let’s please leave Clinton and Sanders out of this. I have no desire to rehash all that.
Sorry. I guess I forgot I was posting in one of the few threads in this forum not devoted to rehashing the 2016 primaries.
---
### Author:  [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)
#### Post date: [May 5, 2017, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-presidential-election-2017/781294/102 "2017-05-05T15:40:47Z")
I didn’t know that, as I don’t post anywhere else in Elections any more–and hearing that certainly doesn’t arouse any urge to change that policy.
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### Author:  [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)
#### Post date: [May 5, 2017, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-presidential-election-2017/781294/103 "2017-05-05T15:52:59Z")
Gateway Pundit is running a [story](http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2017/05/breaking-macron-busted-lied-tax-evasion-4chan-pol-posts-images-macrons-off-shore-bank-account/) on allegations that Macron is hiding money offshore in the Cayman Islands via a company incorporated in Nevis. Apparently the whole mess has been developing from efforts of some people on [4chan](http://boards.4chan.org/pol/thread/123933076#p123933076). The story has developed enough attention to get [Le Monde](https://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2017/05/04/macron-et-l-evasion-fiscale-itineraire-d-une-rumeur-de-4chan-aux-plateaux-tele_5122473_4408996.html) reporting on it.
However some in Le République are calling it “fake news” and the [Wall Street Journal is reporting](https://www.wsj.com/articles/french-open-probe-into-suspected-attempt-to-tar-emmanuel-macron-1493915360?tesla=y) that French authorities are opening an investigation into attempts to smear Macron.
I’m not involved in the financial sector but I’ve heard it is starting a little stir here in Cayman.
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [May 5, 2017, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-presidential-election-2017/781294/104 "2017-05-05T16:24:17Z")
I apologize for making a comparison to US politics that seems to be attracting unrelated attention.
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### Author:  [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)
#### Post date: [May 5, 2017, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-presidential-election-2017/781294/105 "2017-05-05T17:35:25Z")
> [@Iggy](#):
>
> Gateway Pundit is running a [story](http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2017/05/breaking-macron-busted-lied-tax-evasion-4chan-pol-posts-images-macrons-off-shore-bank-account/) on allegations that Macron is hiding money offshore in the Cayman Islands via a company incorporated in Nevis. Apparently the whole mess has been developing from efforts of some people on [4chan](http://boards.4chan.org/pol/thread/123933076#p123933076).
The Guardian already [reported last night](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/04/emmanuel-macron-files-complaint-over-marine-le-pen-debate-remark) that the document’s metadata indicates it was created only a short time before it was posted (and therefore not at the time it was purportedly created), and that the purported signature of Macron on it is not identical to his usual signature.
I like the word “efforts”…
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### Author:  [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)
#### Post date: [May 5, 2017, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-presidential-election-2017/781294/106 "2017-05-05T18:05:06Z")
CNN talks to a bunch of French voters about their less-than-wonderful options: [http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/05/europe/divided-france-braces-for-vote/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/05/europe/divided-france-braces-for-vote/index.html)
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### Author:  [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)
#### Post date: [May 5, 2017, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-presidential-election-2017/781294/107 "2017-05-05T19:57:49Z")
> [@Thing\_Fish](#):
>
> Y’know, you can just go ahead and say “Jews”. The “globalist” figleaf isn’t fooling anyone.
I think he (?) is referring to the [Transnationalists](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transnationalism), not the Jews.
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### Author:  [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)
#### Post date: [May 5, 2017, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-presidential-election-2017/781294/108 "2017-05-05T20:00:40Z")
> [@Quartz](#):
>
> I think he (?) is referring to the [Transnationalists](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transnationalism), not the Jews.
How are we supposed to get to the Federation (a la _Star Trek_) without transnationalists?
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### Author:  [@Great\_White\_Dope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_White_Dope)
#### Post date: [May 6, 2017, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-presidential-election-2017/781294/109 "2017-05-06T02:03:17Z")
No mention yet of today’s massive leak?
There’s a lot, and it’s all in French, so it’ll take time for the the corruption to surface, but we all know it’s there. The clock is ticking down . . . let’s hope the Internet further exposes this buffoon before polls open.
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### Author:  [@Salvor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Salvor)
#### Post date: [May 6, 2017, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-presidential-election-2017/781294/110 "2017-05-06T03:25:28Z")
> [@Great\_White\_Dope](#):
>
> No mention yet of today’s massive leak?
>
> There’s a lot, and it’s all in French, so it’ll take time for the the corruption to surface, but we all know it’s there. The clock is ticking down . . . let’s hope the Internet further exposes this buffoon before polls open.
So you are in favor of PutinLeaks tilting the election to LePen?
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### Author:  [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)
#### Post date: [May 6, 2017, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-presidential-election-2017/781294/111 "2017-05-06T03:42:21Z")
> [@Salvor](#):
>
> So you are in favor of PutinLeaks tilting the election to LePen?
So Obama endorsing a candidate is not meddling? Or is it only nefarious when it’s the political equivalent of Voldemort?
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### Author:  [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)
#### Post date: [May 6, 2017, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-presidential-election-2017/781294/112 "2017-05-06T03:53:30Z")
> [@octopus](#):
>
> So Obama endorsing a candidate is not meddling? Or is it only nefarious when it’s the political equivalent of Voldemort?
If endorsing a candidate was remotely comparable to leaking a person’s emails you’d have a point but it isn’t so you don’t.
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### Author:  [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)
#### Post date: [May 6, 2017, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-presidential-election-2017/781294/113 "2017-05-06T04:06:32Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#):
>
> If endorsing a candidate was remotely comparable to leaking a person’s emails you’d have a point but it isn’t so you don’t.
Meddling is meddling. People have had their lives ruined with secretly recorded video. Why should people expect any privacy nowadays? Act and communicate as if you are being recorded and embarrassing email leaks won’t occur.
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### Author:  [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)
#### Post date: [May 6, 2017, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-presidential-election-2017/781294/114 "2017-05-06T04:33:15Z")
> [@Salvor](#):
>
> So you are in favor of PutinLeaks tilting the election to LePen?
Of course he is. Judging from the vast bulk of his posts on here, LePen is pretty much his political soulmate.
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### Author:  [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)
#### Post date: [May 6, 2017, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-presidential-election-2017/781294/115 "2017-05-06T04:34:57Z")
[QUOTE=Iggy]
However some in Le République are calling it “fake news” and the [Wall Street Journal is reporting](https://www.wsj.com/articles/french-open-probe-into-suspected-attempt-to-tar-emmanuel-macron-1493915360?tesla=y) that French authorities are opening an investigation into attempts to smear Macron.
[/QUOTE]
\La\
It wouldn’t surprise me if he did - tax evasion is relatively common here, since taxes are high. I suppose the severity of the news, provided the allegation is true (debatable) depends on the amounts he hid and where that money comes from.
I highly doubt this will be enough to swing the vote however - back in 2002 we voted for Chirac over Le Pen, even though we \*knew \*he was an out-and-out crook who did much worse than that - pay-for-play, bribes, misappropriating party money, using his position as mayor of Paris to list luxury apartments owned by the city as rent-controlled housing projects for his friends, fake jobs and fake bills…
My point is, we don’t let a little corruption get in the way of saving the kingdom 😃
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### Author:  [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)
#### Post date: [May 6, 2017, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-presidential-election-2017/781294/116 "2017-05-06T05:45:05Z")
> [@Salvor](#):
>
> So you are in favor of PutinLeaks tilting the election to LePen?
> [@octopus](#):
>
> So Obama endorsing a candidate is not meddling? Or is it only nefarious when it’s the political equivalent of Voldemort?
Before that [Trump had said that he was in favor of LePen.](http://www.politico.com/story/2017/04/21/donald-trump-france-election-237432)
As in the case of the emails leaked from the climate scientists and Clinton it is more likely that virtually all the issues in the emails will be taken out of context and set in an effort to discredit the target. As there were no prosecutions based on all the accusations launched about what they reported that the emails said in the past cases, it is clear that the right is just going for the same poisoned well that worked so well for them in the past.
And I said worked so well not for getting people locked up, I said that it worked well for propaganda purposes. It does not matter if the worst accusations were bogus, the audience of the right wing media did swallow it up and it does not matter that no crime was revealed out the leaks, the bullshitters know what does work to mislead their audience.
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### Author:  [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)
#### Post date: [May 6, 2017, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-presidential-election-2017/781294/117 "2017-05-06T05:53:47Z")
> [@jayjay](#):
>
> Of course he is. Judging from the vast bulk of his posts on here, LePen is pretty much his political soulmate.
I’m sure you can find some examples. Would you care to provide them?
I also think it’s strange that who a particular person supports, not that I support anyone in France politically, is insightful. Are all Democrats members of a hive mind or do different people have different reasons? Tell me again how beneficial it was for Mrs. Clinton to stereotype Trump supporters as deplorables.
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### Author:  [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)
#### Post date: [May 6, 2017, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-presidential-election-2017/781294/118 "2017-05-06T05:56:31Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#):
>
> Before that [Trump had said that he was in favor of LePen.](http://www.politico.com/story/2017/04/21/donald-trump-france-election-237432)
>
> As in the case of the emails leaked from the climate scientists and Clinton it is more likely that virtually all the issues in the emails will be taken out of context and set in an effort to discredit the target. As there were no prosecutions based on all the accusations launched about what they reported that the emails said in the past cases, it is clear that the right is just going for the same poisoned well that worked so well for them in the past.
>
> And I said worked so well not for getting people locked up, I said that it worked well for propaganda purposes. It does not matter if the worst accusations were bogus, the audience of the right wing media did swallow it up and it does not matter that no crime was revealed out the leaks, the bullshitters know what does work to mislead their audience.
That’s the world we live in now. I’m not saying it’s right or good. Just that with electronics and computers having the recording, storage, and search abilities they do people need to be on guard all the time.
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### Author:  [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)
#### Post date: [May 6, 2017, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-presidential-election-2017/781294/119 "2017-05-06T05:57:37Z")
Dude, It seems that you have not noticed what Great White Dope is doing with straw man arguments in the pit and creationist talking points in GD. I think you need to be more aware of the ones you are tacitly defending.
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### Author:  [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)
#### Post date: [May 6, 2017, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-presidential-election-2017/781294/120 "2017-05-06T06:19:16Z")
> [@octopus](#):
>
> That’s the world we live in now. I’m not saying it’s right or good. Just that with electronics and computers having the recording, storage, and search abilities they do people need to be on guard all the time.
Missing the point spectacularly, **your guard is the one that is down** as it is opened wide to recognized misleading tactics used by unsavory sources several times already.
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