Centrism triumphs in France, but EU politicians have cause for concern

THE multi-cornered first round of the French general election which was held over the weekend was widely billed as one of the most unpredictable in the country's history. In the event, it produced a result that was in some ways a surprise, and in other ways reassuring.

The surprise lies in the fact that for the first time, neither of the mainstream parties - the Republicans on the right and the socialists on the left - have made it to the final round of the elections. Indee…