Sweden: innovation and democracy on the menu for the last day of Emmanuel Macron’s state visit

2024-01-31 07:19:23

Far from agricultural anger, Emmanuel Macron continues his state visit to Sweden. After the gala dinner to which he was invited with his wife Brigitte by King Carl XVI Gustaf, at the head of Sweden for fifty years, the first French president to visit Sweden since Jacques Chirac in 2000 is going this Wednesday to the southern Sweden. It should emphasize innovation in the face of climate and digital challenges but also debate democracy with students.

On Tuesday, the agricultural crisis which is shaking France like other countries of the European Union was invited into the trip. Emmanuel Macron defended the common agricultural policy while promising to bring forward certain demands of French farmers on Thursday in Brussels.

This Wednesday, he is due to speak at a business forum with French and Swedish business leaders in the capital, after praising growing cross-investments and the “historic level” of trade in goods and services between the two countries. , to the tune of 22 billion euros.

Then, head to Scania, in the south of the country. In the university town of Lund, Emmanuel Macron is due to visit the European Spallation Source (ESS), a scientific research facility set to become the world’s most powerful neutron source, co-financed by France with 12 other European countries.

Develop cooperation in civil nuclear power

Always accompanied by the King of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf, the President of the Republic must visit the Alfa Laval company, whose activities are, according to the Élysée, “at the heart of the ecological transition of industry”. For the French president and the Swedish leaders, it is a question of establishing themselves as European leaders in terms of innovation “faced with the challenge of the green and digital transition”, as explained by Emmanuel Macron’s entourage.

Finally, at Lund University, he will participate in “Studentafton”, a time of exchange with students, a real institution of this partner establishment in Saclay, near Paris. At the heart of the debates, “the challenges of resilience of European democratic societies”, less than five months before the European elections which could see the far right make strong progress.