remember, over 70% of the french went to the polls today. almost like 75% of the french actually went out and voted. we had a 58% voting record return in the united states. even for this contentious election between trump and clinton. so the french really do care. this demonstrates how much the french care about who rules them and what kind of a country, what kind of a country they have for themselves, what kind of an image they present to the world. all that is very important. and that i think was reinforced really tonight. that s one of the reasons why you hear all these sirens behind me up and down. people celebrating. what they see as a renewal of the french spirit with a new young and exciting and dynamic person to lead them. they have great hopes i think for the future now. to david s point, i thought, you know, david rhodes, the point that david was making was pretty impressive it would be
has called. he has dabbled in what it is to execute government. i m going to take a break with you guys now, david, and i want to make us now to northern france which had been considered a real stronghold of marine la pen. isa suarez is there. what are people saying? fredricka, silence and disappointment very different scenes from what we saw early this morning when marine la pen cast her vote around 11:00. she had so many supporters backing her, so many people screaming saying i love you marine. they call her here by her first name. she had people coming from outside of this town to capture a glimpse of her.
growing inequality gap across our developed world, but now, again, huge cheers going up because they re showing numbers. 65 65 65.5 and 35.5. that s according to the screen behind me. that is what people are cheering. at the louvre there in paris. supporters behind her of emmanuel macron. final numbers are macron would win the presidency there. we re going to check back with you. let me bring in cnn presidential historian and former director of the nixon presidential library and david globe and david andellman is the editor at the world policy journal and a cnn.com opinion contributor. good to see all of you.
75% voter turnout. she said that s down from previous years. so there is still some reticence in this election season to be involved or participate, is there? or how do you understand that or what s the explanation behind something like that, david? that such a divisive or polarizing election would not be one that would encourage more people to come out? i think it s the same thing we see in the united states. there s a deep cynicism, a lack of trust in institutions, a sense that, you know, president trump said this that laelection are fixed. and yes, it is, even at sf75%, it s lower than the past three elections. macron faces huge challenges in getting people to believe in the french system and the french economy and believing that it can work and they can live positive and productive and fruitful lives. we understand that francois
this is extraordinary. when you look at the number of attacks in france, the number of victims, paris, nice, across the country, and it has continued to have such an overwhelming victory for a candidate that did not embrace division and fear, you know, is resounding and frankly is a credit to the french people. as i said earlier, macron represents change. and that s the broader lesson i think for politicians, you know, in the developed world. i also agree the developed world does not have a good answer for hour to recreate security and good paying jobs. so, you know, american politicians have got to look at this and see that a young new candidate with a new vision is needed so defeat the more nationalist approach to politics. david, is it your view that people were going to the polls there to send a message to the world, to europe, to say this is, you know, my france? this is what france is all about? there was certainly a lot of that in it, no doubt about that.