EDITORIAL. On international issues as in France, Emmanuel Macron in search of an untraceable rebound

A priori, a trip to the Netherlands on the theme of the sovereignty of Europe, it was announced with all peace of mind. Except that Wednesday, April 12, for the second day in a row, this trip was disrupted by opponents of pension reform. At a press conference in Amsterdam, Emmanuel Macron even had to defend his reform again. And he assured that he will soon propose a meeting with the social partners to try to pick up the pieces, little by little.

In fact, even when traveling abroad, the Head of State now takes with him a bit of the social crisis that is shaking the country and finds himself on the defensive. It is evident this week. He is forced to justify himself, to respond to criticism. And he is sometimes obliged to try to extinguish the controversies that he himself has lit. For example about Taiwan. By calling on Europe not to be “follower” vis-à-vis the United States at a time when China was carrying out military maneuvers around Taiwan, the head of state triggered an international outcry. He again substantiated his remarks on Wednesday, and he affirmed that he fully assumed them. At the risk of reinforcing the image of a feverish power, even on the international scene.

>> We explain the controversy over Taiwan after the words of Emmanuel Macron

International records no longer support it

The war in Ukraine and the way in which Emmanuel Macron had claimed European leadership undoubtedly served his re-election and then the very beginning of his second term. But his two recent trips abroad, to Africa at the beginning of March and then to China last week, have not been great successes. Above all, they drew a lot of criticism and did not compensate for its weakening on the domestic stage. Difficulties illustrated by the fall in its popularity rating. Or even by the rejection of his candidate for the presidency of Ademe, the Ecological Transition Agency, the elected LR Boris Ravignon.

This is the first time that a candidacy proposed by the Elysée for such a post has been rejected by Parliament. One more sign of the isolation of a head of state in search of an untraceable rebound.