2024-04-25 20:21:14
President of France, Emmanuel Macronhe mentioned the word “paradigm” about 20 times in his speech this Thursday (25.4.2024), in which he advocated for more European integration.
“We have a date with history: Europe could die“Macron warned before hundreds of listeners in the Sorbonne amphitheater i Parisone of the oldest universities in Europe.
The President proposed better European integration, a new common commercial industry and an adequate European defense strategy, which could even have its own anti-missile shield.
“It is vital that Russia does not win the war in Ukraine: the security of Europe is at risk,” he said.
“Europe can only be strong if it is prosperous […]. And we must stop being naive and protect our industries better,” Macron added.
The president proposed a system of “European favors” in five sectors of excellence: artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, space technology, biotechnology and new energy.
How will other countries respond?
For Sophie Pornschlegel, director of studies at the think tank Europe Jacques Delors Macron, who is based in Brussels, has revisited a theme he launched seven years ago in his first speech on Europe at the Sorbonne, in which he called for more “European sovereignty”.
“Macron has a good nose for what is relevant in politics. He understands how Europe works and he is right when he says that more cooperation and integration is needed: it is the only way to the interests of Europe protect,” says Pornschlegel, adding. It is good that one of Europe’s main leaders takes such a position on behalf of Europe. “It will be interesting to see how the other EU members react, whether they will adopt some of his ideas,” he says.
The Elysée Palace emphasized in a recent press conference that, in fact, more European sovereignty has been achieved since 2017. “Under the initiative of Francethe EU is united in supporting Ukraine, we have developed common industrial and technological policies and we have changed our view on free trade agreements to better protect European industries,” said a spokesman. agenda,” he said.
Pornschlegel agrees to some extent. “Some of his proposals for 2017 – such as having a budget for the eurozone and much stronger fiscal cooperation – have not been fulfilled, but, at least, Macron has new ideas for Europe, unlike other countries, such as Germany, which is limited to blocking objects. ,” says the expert.
It is not just a European speech
Benjamin Morel, a political scientist and professor of Public Law at the University of Paris-Pantheon-Assas, suspects that Macron only spoke in anticipation of the new strategic agenda.
“Europe is one of Macron’s central themes: his goal is to boost his party’s current bleak prospects before the European parliamentary elections in June,” he tells DW. Current polls predict that Valerie Hayer, the candidate of President Macron’s Renaissance party, will get about 16 percent of the vote, compared to about 30 percent for Jordan Bardella, of the far-right National Rally (RN). In addition, centrist socialist candidate Raphael Glucksmann is hot on Hayer’s heels.
“A bad result in the European elections would turn his mandate into a lame-duck presidency and destroy what is left of his authority,” Morel emphasizes. According to the latest opinion polls, less than a third of French voters currently have a favorable opinion of President Macron. “I doubt that Macron’s speech today has excited the French voters,” says Morel.
Catherine Fieschi, visiting professor at the Robert Schuman Center for Advanced Studies at the European University Institute in Florence and author of the book “Populocracy,” agrees with that opinion. According to Fieschi, today’s speech did not appear to be a campaign event. “He took note of what has been done in Europe and said that we need to do much better, but he did not address the French voters.”
A victory for Le Pen would have disastrous consequences
Analysts do not rule out the possibility of a far-right victory in the French presidential elections in 2027, and some even accuse President Macron of “normalizing” Marine Le Pen’s National Rally (RN) party, by accepting some of the the opinions of that formation. An example is the recent French law that tightens immigration rules.
According to Pornschlegel, a victory for RN leader Marine Le Pen would have disastrous consequences for Europe. “It would be a decisive blow to the so-called Franco-German machine, for the cooperation between France and Germanywhich is vital for the EU to move forward,” he warns.
(ms/ers)
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