The victory of Mr Emmanuel Macron in the 2017 French presidential elections signals the emergence of ambivalent global political trends: The disintegration of the left-right political divide, deemed obsolete for the contemporary reality, and the triumph of neo-liberalism, a harbinger of increasing class disparities, youth unemployment and identity-related violence.

These emergent global trends also have an impact on Asia where economic migration and neo-liberal policies lead to restructured economies and emerging identities.

… Aida Arosoaie is a senior analyst at the Malaysia Programme of S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University.