Juliette Jabkhiro

HENIN-BEAUMONT France (Reuters) – Her supporters were angry and disappointed when Emmanuel Macron won the election. It was shown on television screens in Marine Le Pen’s Henin-Beaumont, a stronghold for far-right candidates.

The former town of coalmining in northern France is now a place where the unemployment rate is high. Le Pen controls the town council. It was hoped that this would be the time that the far-right will break through the glass wall that kept it from power.

The region’s blue-collar workforce is supportive of Le Pen’s economic nationalism. A deep hatred for any president that is seen to be out of touch with the regular population also exists.

Marie Souillard (55) said that she has never hated such a president. It’s something I don’t yet fully understand, but tomorrow, I will be as if he was here another five years. It’s a hell of a life.

Souillard had been hoping that her husband, a truck driver, would retire sooner if Le Pen won. However, those hopes are now dead.

“I don’t know why so many people cheered Macron. It’s not acceptable, when you take a look at all he has done,” she said.

Le Pen had run for the presidency for the third time and vowed that he would continue fighting in the parliamentary elections of June.

Macron recognized in his speech of victory that Macron was not the only one who rallied around him.

He told his supporters, “We’ll have to be kind and considerate because this country is so divided.”

Henin Beaumont, on the other hand, was skeptical.

Anais Souillard’s daughter said that Macron’s win was surprising considering his handling of rising prices and plans to raise retirement age.

“He doesn’t care about the working classes, he’s an administrator for the wealthy,” she stated.

Partially, Macron received 56.2% support from voters with 88% of the votes being counted. This number was expected to rise as more votes were added.

Arnaud, 26-year-old, is a member Le Pen’s National Rally Party’s National Committee. He said he was sad by Le Pen losing, but there were still signs of hope.

De Rigne stated, “When you take a look at her progress — she was at 17% 2012, 34% 2017 and 42% now — it’s clear that there has been a steady progression.” It’s hard to believe that she will succeed sooner or later.