The new configuration in European politics

2017 will probably be remembered as the "year of change" in the history of European politics. This does not apply only to the European Union and its transformation within but also pertains to the future of Europe's relations with the rest of the world. Turkey, for that matter, is part of the rest who tries to remain in the west.

Elections in France are dominating the agenda. On April 23, the first round of the French presidential elections ended with Marine Le Pen of the National Front and Emmanuel Macron with his own political party, named "En Marche," to become the two front runners for the next round on May 7. Macron is a former economy minister and describes himself as a left-wing liberal.

What is so striking about the French presidential elections is that for the first time in recent history, the mainstream political parties will not be running in the second round. If, as expected, Macron makes it to Elysee in the final round, he will have to work hard to obtain a favorable parliamentary majority in the forthcoming National Assembly elections in June.

Macron's success is yet another manifestation of the European electoral behavior, which follows the pattern of anti-establishment voting tendency. Macron's political party is not expected to make a significant impact on the parliamentary elections. It is important, however, to underline that both the socialist and republican candidates who lost in the first round immediately called for support for Macron in the second round.

If Macron's success cannot be translated into a further electoral success of "En Marche" in the National Assembly in June, the new president of France will have to survive an awkward cohabitation because of the semi-presidential system that France enjoys,...