Investing 100 billion euros for defense, a “Europe 2030 Plan” of 1,000 billion euros of public and private funds, the defense of “European values” with a “numerical majority at 15 years”: the presidential majority presented Monday its program for the European elections, almost a month before the election.
Campaign poster with the Head of State in the background, the head of the list Valérie Hayer and the spokespersons for the campaign, Nathalie Loiseau, Marie-Pierre Védrenne and Clément Beaune, declined the 48 proposals of the program, after having presented the first 30 names on the list on Friday.
The presidential camp, left behind in the polls by Jordan Bardella’s RN and closely followed by Raphaël Glucksmann’s PS-Place Publique list, intends to set in motion a new dynamic, with the “national meeting” organized Tuesday at the Palais de la Mutualité in Paris, in presence of Prime Minister Gabriel Attal.
“It is an ambitious program so that Europe does not die”, bringing together the “conditions to create a powerful Europe tomorrow”, argued the head of the list, Valérie Hayer, formulas which strongly resonate with the president’s speech Emmanuel Macron on April 25 at the Sorbonne.
These proposals “are the best to fight against the three risks that face us: the security and migration risk, the climate and economic risk” and “the democratic risk and attack on our values”, she declined.
First axis addressed: defense. The majority advocates in particular investing 100 billion euros at European level, and wants to see the budget of each State increased to 2% of GDP by 2025, and 3% by 2030.
“We are asking the European Investment Bank to come and work on the defense sectors, which it has not done until now” and “we are in favor of borrowing on these 100 billion euros” , specified MEP Nathalie Loiseau (Horizons).
On the economic, social and environmental aspects, the French presidential majority wants a “Europe 2030 Plan” of 1,000 billion euros, with public and private funds, to “complete the Green Deal” adopted during the last legislature.
Ability to convince
This “Europe Plan” must cover five sectors: energy, transport, digital, health, space. “If we want a shock in competitiveness, investments, skills, this Europe 2030 plan is essential,” insisted Marie-Pierre Védrenne.
These public funds will have to rely in particular on a common long-term loan, repaid by new resources, it is specified in the program.
How to convince reluctant countries? “The world has changed. In 2020 (after Covid, Editor’s note), before we committed to the recovery plan, it seemed impossible, it was an absolute taboo” and “Emmanuel Macron managed to convince (l former German Chancellor Angela Merkel. “It is our capacity for conviction that will move the lines,” assured Ms. Hayer.
Among the objectives, the production of 10 million clean vehicles in Europe, a European green plane. In the field of health, the Macronists want a “Marie Curie Plan” for European vaccines and treatments against cancer, degenerative diseases, and research on autism.
They also want to extend the carbon border tax to new sectors, such as automobiles, cement and imported steel from 2026.
They want to “impose a European trade shield”, with automatic and massive customs duties in response to any tariffs against European companies, and “mirror rules” for imports.
Third main part: European democratic “values”. The presidential majority particularly wants to see access to abortion included in the European Charter of Fundamental Rights.
She also wants a “democratic shield against foreign interference”, including a ban on extra-European funding for political parties.
As in 2019, she wishes to establish transnational lists for the European elections and the end of unanimity in favor of qualified majority, citing the scope of sanctions, taxation and the “rule of law”.
The program does not mention enlargement. “But we are not hostile to enlargement in principle, unlike others” but “there are stages, conditions, deadlines for negotiation, we are not talking about enlargement for tomorrow morning”, said clarified Clément Beaune, who cited Ukraine and Moldova.
