French press review 19 January 2017

Brexit plan unfolds, papers wonder what that means for Europeans, while the Socialist primaries are also making the headlines.

Le Monde this morning says British Prime minister Theresa May has decided that Brexit will be "hard" - meaning, a total exit of the European Union, the single market and the customs' Union.

It says that a hard Brexit, will not only be tough on Europeans but suicidal for the Brits themselves.

Because this ball May is setting in motion will bring the UK to  a lesser favourable status than say... Turkey has with the Union.

Le Monde underlines that there lies a “curious quid pro quo” - Brexiters and British media seem to rejoice at Theresa May’s speech, the paper says, without her really realising how much Scotland and Northern Ireland could potentially rebel, while European negotiators are praising what they consider to be a British capitulation.

How come there is such a gap Le Monde wonders?

For one thing, you have those who believe their Prime Minister is in pole position to negotiate what she wants - May wants to keep all the benefits of EU membership and concede nothing in return.

But then, you have Europeans, who despite suffering from Brexit, are saying they will not budge. Le Monde seems to be adamant that Brexit will be a catastrophe, that May knows it, and she also knows she lost the upper hand, the paper says.

Libération leads with “Macron’s supporters - why they go 'forward' with him?”

The lead  says that the fervour of his supporters is not diminishing at all and the paper says that while his personality is attractive, seductive even, his programme remains blurry and we are still waiting for it.

But Libé asks, is not that the secret of his current dynamic?

Libération says that his strength is that he reaches all political colours - with the left wing supporters, his popularity rating reaches 50%, which is very high according to French polls.

As for the right wing ones, it is up to 46%. All in all, very exceptional ratings Libé points out.

But on the content of his programme itself, Libé says that without a doubt, it is bound to emerge after the 29th of January after the candidate for the left wins the primaries.

It concludes by saying, though,  that remaining in this sort of limbo is quite risky since getting out of such limbo could potentially see his downfall.

La Croix also underlines that Macron’s breakthrough is mainly due to his personality rather than his plan for France.

The paper draws the same conclusion as Libération, but wonders if this so-called dynamic, it says, will be enough to provide the needed votes.

Because, ultimately, La Croix asks: "Will he be able to convert his charm into a political vote?"

The voters tend to vote for their own go-to party in the end, also because they might think he lacks experience despite having plenty of talent.

Speaking of the primaries, both Le Monde and Le Figaro  focus on the upcoming “duel” between former economy minister Arnaud Montebourg and rebel Socialist Benoît Hamon.

Le Monde says that since both candidates are roughly going after the same electorate, they now have tostress their differences.

Le Figaro says Hamon mainly targets the “left of the Left”, he tries to reach the Green voters, he speaks to a young, urban electorate - Le Monde says Hamon wants to underline how archaic Montebourg is, really, with his proposal of an old political model.

Montebourg, Le Figaro says, goes for a more protectionist approach, and his “made in France” as the candidate calls it.

In turn, Montebourg says that Hamon’s proposal of a universal basic income is just another way of agreeing to mass unemployment.

Both Libération and Le Figaro give the gripping last stretch of the The Vendee Globe race on their frontpage, since, it is due to end with Frenchman Armel Le Cleac'h locked in a duel with Alex Thomson of Wales. 

The winner is heading for a record time. A finish before 1202 GMT today would mean a circum-navigation in 74 days, four fewer than the record held by Francois Gabart since his win in 2013.