In an interview published on Saturday evening by the Ebra group’s newspapers, the head of state also pointed the finger at the National Rally, which “offers nothing” in the campaign for Europeans.
Abstention, war in Ukraine, nuclear weapons, populism, education… Almost all the subjects were addressed by Emmanuel Macron in a long interview with twelve young Europeans, published Saturday evening by the Ebra group’s newspapers. Two days after his speech on Europe delivered at the Sorbonne, the President of the Republic notably said he was ready to “open the debate” of a European defense which would also include nuclear weapons. Furthermore, while the bad dynamic continues for Valérie Hayer, the head of the majority list in the European elections, according to the latest Ifop-Fiducial “rolling” survey for Le Figaro Emmanuel Macron denounced “democratic hypocrisy” of the National Rally, which “offers nothing” in the countryside.
Towards a European defense including nuclear weapons? “I am in favor of opening this debate which must therefore include anti-missile defense, the firing of long-range weapons, nuclear weapons for those who have them or who have American nuclear weapons on their soil. Let’s put everything on the table and look at what really protects us in a credible way.declared Emmanuel Macron, adding that France would keep “its specificity but is ready to contribute more to the defense of European soil”.
“This may mean deploying anti-missile shields, but we must be sure that they block all missiles and deter the use of nuclear power”explained the French president. “Being credible also means having long-range missiles that would deter the Russians. And there is nuclear weapons: French doctrine is that we can use them when our vital interests are threatened. I have already said that there is a European dimension to these vital interests, without detailing them because this deterrence would contribute to the credibility of European defense.he clarified.
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“We are really playing our security and we are playing for the future of Europe”
Since Brexit and Great Britain’s exit from the European Union, France is the only one of its member states to have a nuclear deterrent. During his speech on Europe on Thursday at the Sorbonne, the French president pleaded for a “powerful Europe” and the creation of a defense Europe “credible” alongside NATO and facing Russia, which has become much more threatening since its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The construction of a defense Europe has for a very long time been an objective of France which has often encountered the reluctance of its partners who considered the NATO umbrella more secure.
But the invasion of Ukraine and the possible return to the White House of Donald Trump are relaunching the debate on European autonomy in defense matters. The president also recalled the importance that a victory for Ukraine against Russia has in his eyes. “If we let Russia win and Ukraine capitulates, he explained, it means insecurity for decades for the Romanians, the Moldovans and the Poles. We are really playing for our security, and we are playing for the future of Europe.”
Emmanuel Macron did not mince his words regarding the RN. Marine Le Pen’s party “offers nothing”he insisted. “Seven years ago they wanted to leave Europe and the euro. Two years ago we didn’t really know anymore.” Likewise in the European Parliament, the elected representatives of the party with the flame “say they are with the farmers but do not vote for the CAP”continues the President of the Republic. “They serve people with demagoguery”he insisted, taking the example of immigration against which his nationalist adversaries “propose to close the borders”but “when they are in charge, they see that they need Europe to protect their borders”. “There is a democratic hypocrisy of the RN”summarized the head of state. “A receptacle of anger does not make a program and the aggregation of frustrations does not make a project.”
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“There is a risk in not voting”
A little over a month before the European elections, Emmanuel Macron also said he wanted “convince young people (…) of the importance of going to vote”despite traditionally low participation in the European vote. “Abstention is not inevitable, but we must explain why we vote”he assures, pointing “a risk in not voting”. “We measure it with Brexit,” he continued. Young people did not move while Brexit decided their future. There were more Brexiteers among the oldest.” Later during the exchange, the head of state again raised this issue of voting, linking it to attempts at Russian interference. “Interference is not a risk, it is there,” he assured. The Russians are among the most aggressive, but there are others. The objective is to destabilize our democracies, it is in some way to falsify the vote, the sincerity of the vote.
Finally, the hot topic of agricultural policy was addressed. “The farmers did not demonstrate against Europe or the environment,” assured the head of state, “but they believe that they have too many controls and constraints.” Emmanuel Macron recalled “the simplification measures” put in place “to allow small farms to survive”. He said he was in favor of a “European control authority” responsible for equalizing “standards” because there are “too many differences (…) depending on the country”.
