No one in France seems to have any illusions: it is by strengthening the strategic autonomy of the European Union (EU) and building a common defense that the continent will be able to face the return of Donald Trump to the presidency of the States. -United.
Emmanuel Macron wasted no time in occupying the field. Even before the official announcement of Donald Trump's victory, the French president sent his customary congratulations to the new American president shortly before 9 a.m. on the social network X.
“Ready to work together as we have been able to do for four years. With your convictions and with mine”he said, emphasizing in a second message that he had exchanged with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to “work towards a more united, stronger, more sovereign Europe”in “cooperating with the United States of America and defending our interests and values”.
The Élysée has been explaining for several days that it is preparing for all eventualities and seems determined to rely on Berlin to defend the EU's positions, while the German Minister of Defense, Boris Pistorius is due to meet his French counterpart Sébastien Lecornu on Wednesday November 6 late in the afternoon in Paris.
“The appeal launched this morning to Olaf Scholz sets the pace for the dynamics that could emerge in the coming days, because everyone is aware that despite their differences, Paris and Berlin must be the engine of Europe »analysis for Euractiv Gésine Weber, specialist in relations between the United States and Europe at King's College London.
While Emmanuel Macron's voice has struggled to reach the international stage since the dissolution of the National Assembly on July 9, the election of Donald Trump could give the French president the opportunity to return to the forefront , estimates the researcher.
“Emmanuel Macron has an advantage, which is that he is one of the only European leaders to already have personal relations with Donald Trump and this could work in his favor”continues Gésine Weber.
French politicians are banking on Europe
Faced with the political earthquake represented by the return of Donald Trump to the White House, the vast majority of the French political class believes that it is necessary for the EU to very quickly put itself in battle order.
“Donald Trump has often asserted that European unity was only designed to organize more formidable competition from European countries vis-à-vis the United States and he therefore intends to weaken us as he intends to weaken China”alarms MEP Renew Bernard Guetta at Euractiv. “At the military level, it is therefore essential to build a common European defense, and no longer a European country is opposed to this idea”he continues.
A position shared by part of the French left.
“The election of Donald Trump […] is a nightmare for democracy, for human rights and for Europe”explains on X Raphaël Glucksmann, the leader of the French socialists in the European Parliament, a resolute supporter of military support for Ukraine. “We are condemned […] to do in a few weeks, a few months, what we have not wanted to do for decades: build our own defense, ensure our own security, build our own power. »
On the side of the National Rally (RN), the leader of the far-right party Marine Le Pen did not fail to address on his wishes for success » to the new American president, and while the president of the movement, MEP Jordan Bardella, also called for a rethinking of Europe's relationship ” to power and strategic autonomy ».
“We must realize that we will have to be alone on many subjects, in France as in Europe, particularly in matters of defense”confirms for Euractiv the MEP and spokesperson for the RN Aleksandar Nikolic, who is delighted with the protectionism advocated by Donald Trump and the dynamic which supports the parties defending “national identities”in the United States and in Europe.
“New leaders have already emerged on the European continent, with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, or with Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, who are the two favorite political figures of the French”continue Aleksandar Nikolic. “And our ideas are making progress all over Europe. »
[Édité par Anne-Sophie Gayet]
