And suddenly, Mr. Europe no longer spoke about Europe
“Emmanuel Macron, the man who likes to talk about Europe, did not leave a moment for discussions on Europe” Sunday June 9, ironically quips Wolfgang Münchau, German chronicler of New Statesman, on the next day of the poker move attempted by the French presidentmuch commented on by the international press throughout the day.
“His politically perilous decision to call early legislative elections in France diverted attention from the European vote in favor of domestic politics,” continues Münchau.
A shame, insists the German journalist, especially since the national and continental calendars risk colliding: the first round of legislative elections, scheduled for June 30, comes just three days after the European summit supposed to lead to the appointment of a candidate for the post of President of the Commission. “This potentially reduces the chances of seeing Ursula von der Leyen return for a second term,” advances this convinced Europhile in the columns of the left-wing British weekly.
“Because if Emmanuel Macron refuses to speak on the issue, it could lose momentum” sparked by the good results of the European right.
Cohabitation would especially weaken Macron
He, the champion of the European project, “washes its hands of the implications for the EU of its Machiavellian maneuver”, regrets Wolfgang Münchau. Worse: what if “his bet” failed? “Everyone who saw the debate between Jordan Bardella and Gabriel Attal will agree to say that the second won, and yet the first continued to garner votes”, notes the journalist.
Nothing indicates, in these conditions, that the sanitary cordon around the RN will hold this time again. The far-right party is no longer seen as a threat by many voters. After all, the nationalist leader “Giorgia Meloni proved in Italy that she was not as dangerous as expected”, supports Münchau. In other words: if it came to the head of the government, the RN would not would not necessarily discredit it, as the Head of State seems to expect.
“Cohabitation would rather weaken Macron on the national scene and in Europe. So what would be the next step? Macron’s resignation? Many, in any case, will vote in the hope that he does so. he warns again. “Macron’s arbitration may be bold, but it exposes vulnerabilities within his camp and Europe, at a time when our times desperately need direction, concludes Wolfgang Münchau, bitterly. And this is the real failure of Macron’s second term.”
