with the national tribute to Jacques Delors, Emmanuel Macron wants to send a signal six months from the Europeans

The president wants to follow in the footsteps of Jacques Delors, in front of an audience made up of many European leaders. And too bad if the former president of the European Commission had criticized his policy.

All of Europe will be in Paris on Friday January 5. A national tribute to Jacques Delors, who died on December 27 at the age of 98, is organized in the morning at the Hôtel des Invalides, in Paris, in the presence of many European leaders. After the Marseillaise, in front of the coffin, the Republican Guard orchestra will sing the Ode to Joy, the official anthem of the European Union. Emmanuel Macron will chair this ceremony and deliver the eulogy for the former President of the European Commission.

The Head of State invited the 27 leaders of the European Union to this ceremony: the German president, the prime ministers of Belgium, Luxembourg… The founding countries of the EU will be present as will the Portuguese leaders , Bulgarian, Romanian, and even the Hungarian Viktor Orban, yet his foot on the brake at the moment on European construction. The heads of the institutions, Ursula Von der Leyen for the Commission, Charles Michel for the European Council, Roberta Metsola for the Parliament and Christine Lagarde for the ECB will also greet the one who, at the head of the Commission, was the first to deal with the European Parliament as a serious interlocutor. And which, moreover, built the foundations of the single currency.

Macron is “necessarily the heir of Delors”

Emmanuel Macron, who had already highlighted “legacy” of Jacques Delors in his wishes of December 31 and who also mentioned a “exhaustible craftsman of our Europe”, intends to show that he is following in the footsteps of the former socialist, with the European elections in June in his sights. Some will speak of capturing heritage, because by saluting the“United, integrated Europe, of convergence and solidarity” wanted by Jacques Delors, Emmanuel Macron will speak at the same time about his own Europe. A parallel assumed on the side of the Élysée: the head of state, it is said, is “necessarily the heir of Jacques Delors”.

This ceremony in honor of Jacques Delors is also a message, assumes MEP Stéphane Séjourné, president of the Renew group and leader of the Macronists in the European Parliament. “There are a lot of political forces today in Europe who advocate a return to nation-states, and others like us who want to move forward with European construction with new projects.”

“We need Europe, and this need for Europe will also be commemorated in this national tribute.”

Stéphane Séjourné, president of the Renew group in the European Parliament

at franceinfo

Delors had nevertheless criticized Emmanuel Macron’s policy

In this desire to be part of his legacy, EMmanuel Macron perhaps forgets that the former president of the European Commission had criticized his policy, “not social democratic”. It also doesn’t matter that they never met.

Six months before the European elections, the ulterior electoral motive exists, even if the Élysée denies it. “We need to talk to the center left”, recognizes a Macronist framework, to undoubtedly also forget the immigration law in this electorate. It must be said that it will be crucial for the Head of State if he does not want to be left behind by an RN presented as the favorite in what will be the only major election between now and the end of the five-year term.