On today's 'Global Exchange' Podcast, we look at the recent Presidential and Parliamentary elections in France, where the young centrist leader Emmanuel Macron has won a crushing victory eerily reminiscent of Canada's election won by Justin Trudeau in 2015. Join Colin in discussion with CGAI Fellow Ferry de Kerckhove for an analysis of the recent French elections, the similarities between Trudeau and Macron, as well as the possibility for the development of a liberal alliance led by both leaders to counter the waves of populist sentiment growing throughout the West.

Bios:

Colin Robertson (host) - A former Canadian diplomat, Colin Robertson is Vice President of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute and a Senior Advisor to Dentons LLP.

Ferry de Kerckhove - Fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute and the Former High Commissioner of Canada to Pakistan, Indonesia, and Egypt.

Book Recommendations:

Ferry de Kerckhove - "Richard Nixon" - by Antoine Coppolani (https://www.amazon.fr/Richard-Nixon-Antoine-Coppolani/dp/2213672105/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498149061&sr=8-1&keywords=Richard+Nixon)

Related Links:

- “Canada-US relations on the eve of Prime Minister Trudeau’s visit to Washington” - by Ferry de Kerckhove – [CGAI Policy Update] (http://www.cgai.ca/canada_us_relations_on_the_eve_of_prime_minister_trudeaus_visit_to_washington)

- “A Primer to the Brussels NATO Summit” - by Colin Robertson – [CGAI Policy Update] (http://www.cgai.ca/a_primer_to_the_brussels_nato_summit)

- "Experts praise Freeland’s ‘courageous’ foreign policy speech" - by Levon Sevunts [Radio-Canada] (http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2017/06/13/experts-praise-freelands-courageous-foreign-policy-speech/)

- "Trudeau-Macron bromance offers ‘new face of Franco-Canadian friendship’" - by Levon Sevunts [Radio-Canada] (http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2017/05/26/trudeau-macron-bromance-offers-new-face-of-franco-canadian-friendship/)

- "G7 summit: Emmanuel Macron and Justin Trudeau meet to offer 'new face for Franco-Canadian friendship'" - by Will Worley [Independent] (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/g7-summit-emmanuel-macron-justin-trudeau-franco-canadian-friendship-new-face-france-canada-president-a7757096.html)

- "Macron wins strong parliamentary majority in France election, estimates show" - by Ingrid Melander & Leigh Thomas [The Globe and Mail] (https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/macron-france-parliament-election-majority/article35352372/)

- "How Macron’s Election and May’s Flop Turned the EU’s Fortunes Around" - by Judah Grunstein [World Politics Review] (http://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/articles/22448/how-macron-s-election-and-may-s-flop-turned-the-eu-s-fortunes-around)

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Produced by Jared Maltais and Meaghan Hobman. Music credits to Drew Phillips.