For some, November 6, 2024, will feel like a bitter hangover after an overindulgence, while for others, it will be a moment of joy and renewed hope. But, as Fox Mulder might have said, the truth lies elsewhere.

Let us reflect on this event, which immediately sent European stock markets into a nosedive upon the announcement of the new U.S. president, even as the American market continued its bullish climb. This image sets the tone for the next four years: a Europe already mired in financial stagnation now staring down an even deeper recession. Global markets thrive on confidence, yet with this announcement, confidence has faltered—haunted by the echoes of Trump’s 2016 presidency.

If Europe falters, the U.S. will also feel the repercussions, for today’s commerce knows no borders. And now, we must face the reality of this far-right tide in the U.S., mirroring France’s situation, where President Macron too exhibits autocratic tendencies. A sort of “mini-Trump,” he panders to financial elites, disregards democratic principles, and shares the same fixation on immigration and security. The result? French citizens are leaving France and Europe in droves, suffocated by an inflationary economy that has gradually eroded their lives for over a decade and driven to despair by a security obsession that has rendered the country unlivable.

In France, all major decisions are made in Brussels, leaving French voters with little power to alter outcomes. The contrast in the U.S. is striking: here, it is clear that votes count, and opinions, whether we agree with them or not, eventually find expression. Obama, Biden, and now Trump have all shown that each vote drives real change. It’s this very dynamic that makes American democracy compelling.

The Democrats’ failure lies not in their efforts during this election but in their long-standing disconnection from the most vulnerable citizens. They have become a party of the middle class, understood by only 40% of an educated population—a reality reflected in these election results. This same detachment has allowed far-right ideologies to gain a foothold in Europe, just as Trump’s proposal to abolish the Department of Education mirrors European leaders’ decades-long sabotage of the education system. The result: students graduating with high honors who have barely the academic level of a sixth-grader in the 1980s.

These young people are poised to become tomorrow’s elite—an elite sorely lacking in critical thinking, trained only in the reductive framework of business school logic. President Macron epitomizes this type of leadership, with speeches often so cryptic that loyalist journalists struggle to justify them.

All these examples serve to underscore one central truth: education is the foundation. A well-educated individual, with a broad cultural background and trained in critical analysis, is less likely to fall for the far-right’s empty promises, which always masquerade as concern for the people but ultimately serve only the powerful.

For those who can, donate to schools—they need the support. It will help them address many needs: better pay for teachers, expanded hiring, and ensuring that every child has access to a full meal. Some will go from school to university, and it is here that disciplines like literature come into play. To understand the world, one must study, always learning, always helping those with the least, for neglecting society’s foundation leads to events like January 6, which serve no one. Even if you haven’t pursued higher education, you will feel the reverberations of this election, and you’ll soon recognize what serves you and what doesn’t. Nothing is set in stone; that much is clear. We must hold on to hope, but only if we commit to caring for all. Otherwise, in four years, we will face the same challenges, with the added risk of a rightward shift within the Democratic Party in a bid to reclaim power—a solution fraught with dangers, as Europe’s trajectory has shown.

Never forget: your vote matters, and you have the proof before you. America has always found ways to reinvent itself. Let us dare to dream of better days ahead.

Thierry De Clemensat

Editor in chief

Bayou Blue Radio/Bayou Blue News