relief tinged with concern in Brussels

In Brussels, the flag of the European Union flies over the Justus Lipsius building, headquarters of the Council of the European Union, of which France has held the rotating presidency since January 1, 2022. JOHN THYS / AFP

“I hope I’m wrong. » For a few days, in the corridors of the European institutions, these words have punctuated the alarmist conversations around the scenario which would see France, founding country and driving force of the European Union (EU), fall into the hands of the far right eurosceptic Marine Le pen. The results that came out of the polls on Sunday April 10 appeased, without dissipating, the concern that had suddenly won over the “European bubble” after the publication of the latest polls, where Emmanuel Macron was elbow-to-elbow with M^me Le Pen.

” It is a relief “reacts a diplomat, even if he could not “not imagine that France puts an ally of the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, in the lead”. Another is surprised to see that the affinities of M^me Le Pen and the Kremlin did not discredit it, in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Read also Article reserved for our subscribers Marine Le Pen and Eric Zemmour recall their pro-Putin inclination in the Ukrainian crisis

“Block the far right”

Beyond M score^me Le Pen, the thrust of the far right has led several MEPs, from various political groups, to ask the French to mobilize. “Emmanuel Macron found himself alone in the face of extremes and this is also a consequence of his policy”declares to World Siegfried Muresan, vice-president of the group of the European People’s Party, where the Republicans (LR) sit. But he is categorical: the priority must be to “blocking the far right”since the fate of France and the European Union is at stake. “It is inconceivable that Marine Le Pen will arrive at the Elysée “, Adds Philippe Lamberts, co-president of the Greens group in the European Parliament, even if he denounces the lack of commitment of Mr. Macron in the fight against climate change.

Read also: Article reserved for our subscribers Marine Le Pen: a fundamentally far-right program behind a softened image

“On April 24, the French face a fundamental choice: for or against the EU”also estimated Iratxe Garcia Perez, leader of the European Socialists and Democrats (S&D), on Twitter. “The EU would be a collateral victim of the elections, if Marine Le Pen were to win”, regrets a European source. Rather than following the example of Brexit, the 53-year-old candidate seems to want to draw inspiration from that of the Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, who is carrying out, from the inside, a work of undermining the Union and its values. . “It is a question of weakening the EU, of making it a coalition of twenty-seven weak states”warns the Hungarian Katalin Cseh, vice-president of the Renew Europe group, political family of La République en Marche.

Risks of internal dissension

“We survived the election of Donald Trump, we survived Brexit, we would survive the election of Le Pen too “, tempers a diplomat. But it would be a major blow to the stability of the Union, while France occupies, with Germany, a privileged role in European construction. “For Europe, Emmanuel Macron is pro-European continuity”summarizes Eric Maurice, of the Robert Schuman Foundation.

You have 13.62% of this article left to read. The following is for subscribers only.