Despite Macron's victory, uncertainly likely still ahead for French politics, political scientist says

LAWRENCE — Centrist Emmanuel Macron's victory Sunday in France over populist and nationalist candidate Marine Le Pen likely doesn't signal the end of challenges to a more integrated Europe, like with the European Union, said a University of Kansas researcher of European politics.

"It’s probably a temporary reprieve for the pro-EU forces in French politics," said Robert Rohrschneider, Sir Robert Worcester Distinguished Professor of Political Science. "The issues won’t go away, such as migration and a city-rural divide over international markets, for example. Second, Le Pen received over one-third of the vote which, while clearly not a majority, is nearly twice as much as her father obtained in 2002."

Rohrschneider said it was also notable that neither candidate of the county's major political parties made it to Sunday's runoff election, likely signaling more uncertainty in French politics in coming months and years.

"That expresses a high degree of dissatisfaction with the mainstream elites," he said.

Rohrschneider has written extensively about political skepticism toward members in the European Union and the potential influence of nationalism on elections in European countries. Rohrschneider, who in 2016 served as a Fulbright visiting professor at Pembroke College, University of Oxford, has participated in symposiums and media interviews about the Brexit vote in the United Kingdom and other issues in Europe after the recent financial and migration crises.

To arrange an interview with Rohrschneider, contact George Diepenbrock at 785-864-8853 or gdiepenbrock@ku.edu.