The French President, Emmanuel Macron, presented the priorities of his country, which has held the presidency of the Council of the EU (FPEU) since 1 January, to the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday 19 January.
While the President focused on the topic of the day, many MEPs - mainly from France - turned the European debate into a national one, just a few weeks before the French presidential election, to the point of being called to order by the new President of the Parliament, Roberta Metsola. Many MEPs from all groups regretted that the French campaign was interfering with the Parliament’s debates.
Reclaiming a powerful Europe for the future
In his speech, Mr Macron explained that the agenda of the FPEU aimed to “rediscover together a Europe of the future, that is to say a Europe capable of responding to the climatic, technological, digital, but also geopolitical challenges, an independent Europe in that it still has the means to decide its own future and not to depend on the choices of the other great powers”. In his view, current generations must re-found Europe to meet the promises of democracy, progress and peace.
The Head of State began by highlighting democracy, insisting on the Rule of law, “our treasure”. The French Presidency will be a presidency of promotion of the values “that make us what we are and which, perhaps because they were taken for granted, have ended up being weakened in recent years”, he promised. Greens/EFA MEP Heidi Hautala (Finland) told EUROPE that she appreciated Emmanuel Macron’s focus on the Rule of law, but admitted that it remains to be seen what is done in the coming months.
Calling for the consolidation of European values, Mr Macron hoped that, 22 years after its adoption, the Charter of Fundamental Rights would be updated “to be more explicit on environmental protection or recognition of the right to abortion”.
In his wake, on behalf of the Renew Europe group, Stephane Séjourné (France) called for progress on the ‘Simone Veil Pact’ (see EUROPE 12398/11). Mrs Metsola, known for her anti-abortion stance, announced to the media that she intended to adhere to the pact, while Mr Macron wanted to promote it in the EU Council.
The French president also called for a more social Europe. He hoped that the FPEU would take “strong action” to offer better paid, high-quality jobs with decent minimum wages for all. Mr Macron hoped for concrete progress during his six-month presidency on a number of issues, including the reduction of gender pay gaps, the rights of workers on digital platforms, and quotas for women on company boards. S&D group chair Iratxe García Pérez (Spain) said “Europe will only be powerful if it is able to eradicate poverty and inequality”. Mr Séjourné, for his part, called for the creation of a platform to help young Europeans find an internship or training.
The French President also stressed “the will to build economic growth”. He said the EU faces two challenges: the “greatest challenge of the century”, the climate, and the digital revolution. Criticised for his climate inaction and for France’s use of nuclear power, Mr Macron said his country was not a gas country.
For her part, Manon Aubry (The Left, France) wanted France, a founding member of the EU, to establish the principle of non-regression in social and environmental terms in the EU.
The President, who is head of the armed forces in his country, also focused on the security and defence aspect. For him, it is necessary to “regain control of our borders and our space” and of “a power of anticipation that organises the security of our environment”.
As he did when the European Commission came to Paris on 7 January (see EUROPE 12864/3), Mr Macron called for Europeans to commit to building a new European security architecture. “These next few weeks must lead us to a successful European proposal to build a new order of security and stability. We must build it among Europeans and then share it with our allies in NATO. And then offer it for negotiation with Russia”, he added.
The President also called for a new alliance with Africa, as well as a new relationship with the Western Balkans. According to him, it is necessary to rethink the relationship with the countries of the Western Balkans and to give them, “in a clearer, more legible, and proactive way, sincere prospects of membership”. But the President also recalled that “the current Europe, with its operating rules, cannot become a Europe of 31, 32 or 33”. He therefore called for in-depth reflexion on the rules to make them “clearer, more readable, to be able to decide faster and stronger, but also politically to be sincere about the framework of this Europe, where the Western Balkans have their place”.
Mr Macron also returned to the subject of Brexit, explaining that Europe and the United Kingdom must “rediscover the path of trust”, and calling on the British government to commit itself in good faith to respecting the agreements reached.
In his introductory speech, the President did not mention the possible revision of the Stability and Growth Pact. When asked by several MEPs about this, he replied instead in terms of investments - climate, digital, social and defence. The revision of the Pact will be discussed by EU Finance Ministers on 25-26 February (see EUROPE 12871/3).
Finally, Mr Macron returned to the issue of the European Parliament’s presence in Strasbourg, without going into detail. He also promised to push, if the Conference on the Future of Europe so proposed, for the Parliament to obtain the right of initiative.
A rather well received speech
After his speech, Mr Macron received the support of the leaders of several major political groups. Manfred Weber (EPP, Germany) said that France was ready and that Europe is in good hands. However, he recalled that concrete actions are needed and that theoretical ambitions had to be overcome. Ryszard Legutko (ECR, Poland) called for “a respectful confrontation”.
The Left and the Greens/EFA did not fail to mark their opposition on a number of subjects during the debates, such as Yannick Jadot, who took the French President to task on his national and European record. Within the same group, others were more nuanced. For Mrs Hautala, Macron can ensure “a strong and truly dedicated EU Council Presidency”.
Sylvie Guillaume (S&D, France) summed up the French priorities with a film title: ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’. ‘The Good’ when there is “useful progress that will serve Europeans”, such as on the minimum wage, carbon adjustment at the borders, or digital regulation. “But the priorities also have a harsher, more brutal face: nothing on inequality, poverty (...), nothing on fraud and tax evasion, an instrumentalisation of the migration issue and Schengen”, she denounced. And finally, ‘The Ugly’ on climate issues, “where ambition is unravelling”, economic governance and budget reform, the Rule of law and the Conference on the Future of Europe.
Finally, some MEPs returned to the FPEU’s timetable. “He could have postponed the French Presidency. Now we find ourselves with an FPEU suspended by the presidential campaign”, Karima Delli (Greens/EFA, France) told EUROPE. His counterparts Manon Aubry (The Left, France) and François-Xavier Bellamy (EPP, France) also shared this view. For Pascal Canfin (Renew Europe, France), on the other hand, it would not have been reasonable to postpone the FPEU when Emmanuel Macron finally has the opportunity to defend his position on Europe. “Moreover, what would all those who criticise this choice have said if he had postponed the FPEU? They would also have been outraged”, he defended to EUROPE. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant and Léa Marchal)