Franco-German relations, support for Ukraine… After the results of the legislative elections, these issues which raise questions within the European Union

The European media have widely commented on the result of the French legislative elections, with the surprise arrival in first place of the Union of the Left.

What do our European neighbors say about the results of this second round of legislative elections, Sunday, July 7? From the European Union’s point of view, the elections gave a much more mixed outcome than the polls suggested, with the New Popular Front coming in first place and the National Rally in third place. Results that have caused notable relief from Madrid to Berlin via Warsaw, but which raise many questions within the European Union. Franceinfo takes stock.

What developments for Franco-German relations?

The Germans, France’s historic partners, have widely commented on the outcome of this election. In its special edition, the public channel ZDF speaks of “sensational results, very different from those many feared”. But the German media are wondering about the New Popular Front, this “alliance of convenience without clear direction or common program” according to the daily The worldThe German press fears a period of uncertainty and questions the future of bilateral relations and the historical engine of Europe. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung wonders which scenario France will choose: that of the total blockage of France and Europe or that of a pragmatic government. The daily concludes, a bit fatalistically: “You can never choose your partners in world politics. You have to make do with what you have.”

Will French support for Ukraine change?

In light of the current priorities of the European Union, it is first of all the mortgages that weighed on support for Ukraine that seem to have been lifted. Due to the absence of even a relative majority of the National Rally, support for Ukraine seems set to continue, even if over the course of the campaign Jordan Bardella had qualified the positions that seemed to be his at the start. Finally, it was above all the sending of French soldiers and missiles capable of striking Russian territory that constituted a red line for the RN.

The prospect of a coalition or minority government, however, will undermine the political clout that President Emmanuel Macron enjoyed within the European Council, a change that is likely to weaken his ability to provide impetus for or support increased aid to Kiev.

Will the functioning of the EU be changed?

Some European observers also mention a weakening that could have consequences on the functioning of the European Union. The last French cohabitation ended 22 years ago and Europeans had gotten used to a French president in a preeminent position. Because for European partners, France’s mode of operation is quite disconcerting. France is an exception, being the only one not to use coalitions.

Europeans are struggling to see clearly due to the absence of texts that would set in stone issues with serious consequences for France’s role in the EU. First, there is the question of who will appoint the next French European Commissioner, while Emmanuel Macron has already appointed Thierry Breton to succeed himself. Then there is the famous question of the reserved domain of the President of the Republic, which would maintain a decisive voice for him in the EU’s foreign policy.

French public finances, sources of concern in Europe?

The political parties’ programs during these legislative elections have left questions unanswered, especially regarding public finances. In the eyes of Europeans, both the New Popular Front and the National Rally have proposed policies that would significantly increase public spending, while France is under surveillance until the fall and could find itself subject to a European procedure for excessive deficit.

The New Popular Front’s programme raises questions because it postulates the rejection of the stability pact, which is nevertheless a condition for membership of the euro. A sensitive subject within the EU, while this pact has already cost months of hard-fought negotiations.