For one day, the French presidential campaign moved to the walls of the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Considered a key moment preceding the official announcement of his candidacy, this speech marking the start of the French presidency of the European Union (EU) was an opportunity for Emmanuel Macron to engage in a vigorous defense of Europe . As it was an opportunity for his opponents to thrash the future candidate in front of the deputies of the 27 member countries often dumbfounded by the virulence of this Franco-French debate.
With the bombast of which he is accustomed, Emmanuel Macron affirmed that the French presidency of the Union, which will last six months, will be that of “the promotion of European values”. Values that he considers “weakened” in particular by the “authoritarian regimes” of countries such as Poland and Hungary, which contest the “rule of law” of which the EU claims to be the defender. The president also wants to modify the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU to add “protection of the environment” and “recognition of the right to abortion”.
A theoretical Europe
“I hope that this French presidency […] take strong action,” he said. On the menu, the supervision by Brussels of minimum wages yet very disparate and even non-existent in some countries, the reduction “of wage inequalities between women and men” and the fight “against all discrimination”.
More concretely, Emmanuel Macron wishes to “regain control of the borders and our space” by reforming the Schengen area, and to build “a Europe that is a power for the future” thanks to a “strategy in terms of industry, defense and technological independence.
I hope that this French presidency […] take strong action
Probably setting the tone for the presidential campaign that is beginning, the often scathing replies were not long in coming in the face of this program, the majority of the results of which will not see the light of day for many months, even years. “You have still made promises, but no one really believes in them”, launched the deputy François-Xavier Bellamy, classified on the right of his party (LR), but who supports the candidate Valérie Pécresse. “How to believe you?” You say you want to control the borders of Europe, but yesterday you denounced as nationalist leprosy the countries which called for help to protect their borders in the face of the immigration+r%C3%A9fugi%C3%A9s”>migration crisis . »
From Calais, where illegal migrants wishing to reach the United Kingdom are piled up, the candidate of the nationalist right Éric Zemmour described Emmanuel Macron’s Europe as “Europe without a body […] headless and […] soulless. It is a theoretical and, to be honest, fictitious Europe”.
The former columnist, who fluctuates between 11 and 14% in the latest polls, behind Valérie Pécresse and Marine Le Pen, believes that this Europe “is run by abstract, impersonal elites, without the slightest legitimacy in the eyes of the people. It is a Europe that uproots its own roots, that erases its own history, that in no way identifies itself with the civilization from which it comes”.
A warm-up lap
National Rally MEP Jordan Bardella did not go easy either, accusing Emmanuel Macron of having “made Europe Washington’s backyard, Beijing’s prey, Recep Tayyip’s doormat Erdogan and the hotel of Africa”. At the other end of the political spectrum, but in such an incisive tone, the candidate of Europe Écologie Les Verts Yannick Jadot called Emmanuel Macron the “president of climate inaction”. “Our Europe will never be yours,” he said. According to him, this exchange represented the first presidential debate, “since the president is in the campaign”, he slices.
In France, many had wanted Emmanuel Macron to postpone this rotating presidency so as not to interfere in the presidential campaign. On Wednesday, MEPs deplored the fact that France is monopolizing the debates in Parliament for what looked like a warm-up to the upcoming presidential debate. “The French presidency of the EU should not be an electoral stepping stone”, lamented the deputy of La France insoumise Manon Aubry. Which earned him a tit for tat reply: “I think you are absolutely right. I say it to many here: you were right not to do it, ”said Emmanuel Macron.
From one moment to another
For most analysts, Wednesday’s speech marks the deadline after which Emmanuel Macron could announce his official candidacy at any time. “This speech of January 19 was the limit that Emmanuel Macron had set for himself to enter the electoral race, writes Le Figaro. He did not want to pronounce it in the costume of a candidate, but of a head of state to give more weight to the word of France. »
According to The Sunday newspaper, the president could declare himself at the end of the month or in mid-February, depending on the progression of the pandemic. While Spain and the United Kingdom have lifted almost all restrictions, even calling the Omicron variant a simple “flu”, France has only just adopted after acrimonious debates the law imposing a new vaccine passport in places public and transport.
A rapid drop in hospitalizations could favor the early reporting scenario. “We are the only space in the world which has purchased and produced 2 billion doses quickly and which has never put an export ban”, welcomed the future candidate.
If the often virulent exchanges that took place in Strasbourg are to be trusted, the French presidential campaign could be tough to say the least.