As I sometimes do I have taken a step back from the French election since the result on Sunday evening to let the dust settle, to fully take in what happened and to gather my thoughts. What Emmanuel Macron achieved at the tender age of 39 years in setting up his own party just one year ago and then to take on and beat the Socialists, the Republicans, the Nationalists and the whole French establishment was truly remarkable. He becomes the country's youngest ever leader, and I'd bet the enormity of what he has achieved hasn't quite sunk in yet. When he takes the oath of office next Monday, then I am sure it will do. And yet as an Astrologer I am fascinated with his natal chart against that of the country he leads, because very unusually there doesn't seem to be any link or even love between his chart, and the French people.
Looking back at the election is was a remarkable one, as the final two candidates Macron and Le Pen were total opposites, one for separation from the Europe Union, protectionist and promising the return of true patriotic French nationalism and one supporting total European integration, a fan of open borders and equality for all. That polar opposite approach was so visible in the two charts pitted against each other, with Macron's inclusive and egalitarian Libran North Node exactly conjunct Marine Le Pen's South Node, and her pioneering, single minded Aries North Node conjunct his South Node. You could not have found two more diverse individuals if you had tried. In truth, Macron's more balanced centrist approach (Libra North Node) won over Le Pen's single message France first one (Aries North Node) as it was the more palatable of the two on offer, however I don't think that Macron as a person comes across as a "likeable" individual in the eyes of the French.
If you look at presidents and leaders around the world who have been elected it is natural to assume that the people have to generally like the person who they are voting for, he or she has to have a popular appeal. On any national Astrological chart the Moon represents the people, and often an individual will have to have planetary connections to the Moon of the nation for him or her to gain traction with the public. Looking at Macron's natal chart (21 December 777 @ 10.40am in Amiens) against the French chart (21st Sept 1792 @ 15.30 hrs in Paris) there is no link between any of the French planetary positions and Macron's Moon, and no connection in reverse either. Macron's Sun Mercury conjunction squares the French Sun, so his ideas challenge and intrigue the French as a nation and his natal Saturn makes a trine to the French Saturn showing a man who is respected, but I see no adoration here, no emotion between the two. He is a sober technocrat and that's how I think the French will see him once the lustre of his stunning win wears off.
There is one other link here with Macron's North Node sitting on the French natal Venus. This Venus in Libra is interesting as it is unaspected in the French natal chart and its qualities do permeate throughout the French psyche. There is an aloof romanticism about the French, the mistress of the world of nations, full of style and panache but rather stuck up and snooty about their own values, culture and self-importance. Venus rules the 9th house of beliefs and the 4th house of the nation in the French chart, and there is a relationship with other cultures and beliefs (9th house) that translates into secularism because of the need for an egalitarian society and way of life. France more than any other country I know pushes this need for equality and a homogeneous way of life because of the power of this Venus in her own sign left alone to her own devices. She dominates the French chart which ordinarily would be quite prim, proper and modest with all the Virgo attributes (Sun, Mercury and North Node in Virgo).
Now Macron's North Node on this most powerful signature planet ties his destiny to French values and style, whereas Le Pen's South Node here was detrimental to all that France knows. Her message was not of "égalité" but of elitism, and that's why Macron was the more acceptable of the two nominees. At the time of the election the transiting North Node conjunct to the fixed star Regulus (the star of kings in the constellation of Leo) was also conjunct to his natal Saturn, Macron's chart ruler, and square to his Midheaven, the point of career in his chart.
Also by a twist of fate, Macron's progressed Moon on election day was 0.01 degrees from an exact conjunction to the French natal Venus, and thus also conjunct to his own North Node. Here was the populism that propelled him to the Elysees palace, a fleeting 4 month period where his star was rising and where there was an emotional link between him and the French chart. This connection is already starting to widen day by day and soon in maybe 3-4 months it will be gone completely, the honeymoon will be over and realism will set in. Transiting Saturn in turning retrograde close (less than 2 degrees) to his natal Sun and Mercury last month would have given him a taste of the responsibility he was planning to take on and when it returns in December this year to actually make the conjunction the young President will really be under the gun.
So in the light of day what will the French be left with? Well, the French chart is ruled by Saturn (Capricorn Ascendant) and Macron's Chiron sits conjunct to the French Saturn, so he is the maverick, perhaps the teacher (he's a Sun Sagittarian), and someone who either heals society or wounds it. How this plays out we will see in time. Macron is a big idealist (Sun in Sag and Neptune in 10th) and it will be interesting to see if his all encompassing approach to European integration is a dream that can be fulfilled or will be a vision that clouds his presidency. That natal Neptune in the 10th is tricky, as it may make him deceptive and a con artist, a wolf in sheep's clothing perhaps?
With Scorpio on his MC and Pluto in his 8th house conjunct to his North Node, there is a drive for power and notoriety here that is secretive and also insatiable. When push comes to shove though, he is a plain administrator with Saturn in Virgo square to his Midheaven. That Saturn on the star Regulus suggests he has a lot of hard work ahead to make his vision a successful one. He is also a man of big business and a banker (Pluto in 8th), an economist, someone almost fanatical about the details (Saturn in Virgo). There is a social vision and dream (Neptune conjunct Venus) but will the dream turn into a nightmare? Without the backing of a huge party machine to win power in next month's parliamentary elections, he could end up very isolated indeed. That's what he needs but currently En Marche!, the party that Macron set up has no other elected officials. With his Sun and Mercury in his 11th house of teams, groups and associations, that's where he'll shine as a team leader, but will he get the backing of the people once more to make En Marche! a dominant force in the Senate and the National Assembly so as to get his wishes and policies into law?
Further on down the line as the French get to know him better they will see some different characteristics coming out. His Moon sits on Menkar, a star of chaos in the constellation of Cetus the Whale, so he is very adept at picking up on the mood of the people and what they want, and we have already seen that, however, this position may show him to be emotionally vulnerable too, and someone who's popular appeal may twist and turn in an instant. His Venus sits on Ras Alhague in the constellation of Ophuichus, the serpent holder and one of his talents may be social healing and expanding society so that it comes together. Finally Uranus sits on the star Zuben Elgenubi, the Southern Scale in Libra. This is the less fortunate of the two scales in Libra and it suggests that Macron will strive to make the quality of life for everyone in France just that little bit better, especially in education and health. Here is a clever operator for sure, someone who is canny and sharp and someone who may underplay his plans in order to get a favourable response, he won't make a big show of things.
The overriding sense I get though is of a very astute man who has ridden the waves of populism at the right time and finds himself in a position I suspect he never dreamt of. There is a drive for power but he as a person may find the top job just a little lonely and very hard work. That Saturn on Regulus is no walk in the park, and while it gains respect there is little love here. Moreover, the lack of a lasting connection to the Moon and thus the population of France will never endear him to those he serves and guides. He may well turn out to be the President the French people never really grow to love...
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