With Donald Trump returning to the United States, Emmanuel Macron finds himself a new challenge for his end of mandate

POLITICS – Like a little Trumplin for Macron. Republican candidate Donald Trump was elected 47th President of the United States on Tuesday, November 5, defeating his Democratic opponent Kamala Harris. The President of the Republic was among the first heads of state to congratulate his future American counterpart. A classic gesture of diplomacy, but not only that.

Emmanuel Macron did not wait for the threshold of 270 electors, obligatory to seal the victory of a candidate, to be (officially) reached. Quickly after the Republican's victory speech, the French head of state said he “ready to work” with him “as we have been able to do during (the) four years” of Donald Trump's first visit to the White House between 2016 and 2020. But, adds the French leader, this work must be done while respecting “your beliefs and mine”.

The caveat is important. THE « convictions » of Donald Trump are known: « Make America Great Again »« make America great again » in French, by all means. What are those of Emmanuel Macron? The line was given by government spokesperson Maud Bregeon: “We must consolidate our European strategy. Major challenges must be met on this scale. The election of Donald Trump brings us back to this necessary coordination. Let's look at what we can do in Europe”, she declared after the Council of Ministers. A boon for the French president who sees the opportunity to return in force to his favorite subject: Europe.

A challenge for the end of the five-year term

Since the results of the legislative elections in France, Emmanuel Macron has withdrawn from national politics. Less speaking, fewer (official) reactions to the policy pursued by the Barnier government… At the Élysée, we assume this overhanging position which allows the President of the Republic to return to ground that he is very fond of: the international scene.

In recent weeks, the head of state has increased his travels. At the United Nations platform in New York on September 25, in Canada five days later, in Berlin at the beginning of October… Without forgetting all the foreign leaders received at the Élysée over the same period: the king of Cambodia, the president of the Republic of Benin and that of Chad, the president of Georgia. The day before the American election, he again welcomed the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokaïev.

The message is clear: Emmanuel Macron wants to regain the international stature that he had at the start and which has weakened over the course of his mandates, hit by his setbacks in France. And the election of Donald Trump offers him a perfect opportunity to do so and thus occupy the end of his presidency which was predicted to be bleak.

The time for European “sovereignty” advocated by Macron

After congratulating Donald Trump, Emmanuel Macron spoke with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. “We will work for a more united, stronger, more sovereign Europe in this new context. By cooperating with the United States of America and defending our interests and values”he wrote at the end of the exchanges.

Emmanuel Macron has always cultivated his image as a defender of Europe. From his first steps as president in 2017 on the European anthem through the two speeches at the Sorbonne, the year of his first election then in April 2024. In each of these speeches, the French leader warned of disinterest growth of the United States vis-à-vis the EU. “The United States of America has two priorities. The United States of America first and that is legitimate, and then the Chinese question. And the European question is not a geopolitical priority for the years and decades to come,” he declared in April from the prestigious Parisian university.

Faced with this, he had only one recommendation: strengthen European sovereignty. First of all, in terms of defense, where he pleaded for a “European initiative” built in parallel with NATO. In the wake of Trump's election this Wednesday, a bilateral meeting between French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu and his German counterpart was also announced. Emmanuel Macron also called not to be “the vassal of the United States of America” on the diplomatic level. Last but not least: European economic sovereignty. In 2022, in reaction to the« Inflation Reduction Act » of Joe Biden, Emmanuel Macron had pleaded for a « Buy European Act ». But the project has not been realized since.

From now on, it is with Donald Trump that the European Union will have to negotiate. And the 47th American president intends to continue on the path of economic patriotism, as evidenced by his desire to increase customs duties on imported products. A change of tone is also expected on the geopolitical level and the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.

This new configuration offers Emmanuel Macron the opportunity to re-don his costume as Europe's leading defender and to put forward his ideas. With a double bonus. Firstly, he will always be able to point out that he has been one of the strongest defenders of EU sovereignty. Then, he will be able to count on the support of part of the French left, which also calls for strengthening Europe in the face of Trumpist America. At least the election of Donald Trump was necessary to achieve this feat.

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