About: Emmanuel Macron
Pécresse riding the fine line between Macron and Le Pen on Europe
Valérie Pécresse, the right-wing candidate for Les Républicains, has presented her "patriotic and European" vision for Europe. It flirts between the one presented by 'not-yet candidate' Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen. EURACTIV France reports.
Sovereignty at the heart of Macron’s Europe vision
French President Emmanuel Macron, who is building suspense over whether he will run for a second term, has a vision of "refounding" a more sovereign Europe. EURACTIV France reports.
Mali asks Denmark to immediately withdraw troops deployed there
Mali's government said it had asked Denmark to immediately withdraw troops deployed to the West African nation as part of a French-led counter-terrorism task force because it was not consulted and the deployment failed to follow protocol.
Lawmakers criticise French EU Presidency for inaction on trade
Trade minister Franck Riester faced criticism in the European Parliament on Monday (24 January) for the "glamorous silence" of the French EU Council presidency when it comes to free trade agreements.
Macron emphasises technology transfer in fight against vaccine shortages
French President Emmanuel Macron proposed pressuring pharmaceutical companies to share their knowledge to fight vaccine shortages worldwide, as an alternative to waiving intellectual property (IP) rights.
Zemmour presents anti-immigration EU vision similar to Le Pen’s
Éric Zemmour, the fiery far-right candidate in the French presidential elections, chose to clarify his anti-immigration-focused vision of Europe in Calais. While he will not advocate for Frexit, he will try to renegotiate the Schengen agreement, and "if necessary" withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights.
Time for Europe to stand on its own two feet
The way the US recently applied the Magnitsky Act in Bulgaria may have been beneficial for the country struggling with its mafia, but was a humiliation vis-a-vis the EU, Dick Roche writes.
Macron urges ‘frank’ EU dialogue with Russia, political solution for Ukraine
The European Union must hold a "frank dialogue" with Russia and seek a political solution to the tensions over Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron told the European Parliament on Wednesday (19 January).
Will France quit Mali? Crunch time nears as junta defies Paris
As relations between France and Mali sour rapidly, Paris is wondering whether it is time to stop providing military backup to a country run by a junta that has defied the international community.
Stronger support for Eastern partners finds way into amended EU military strategy proposal
Amid tensions with Russia over Ukraine, the EU is set to enshrine stronger support, including in security and defence, for its Eastern partners, according to the latest version of the bloc’s upcoming military strategy document, seen by EURACTIV. “The EU...
Macron’s vision of European sovereignty
On 9 December, President Emmanuel Macron launched the French EU Presidency programme at an event in the Élysée Palace. Dick Roche takes a closer look at what is in store over the next six months.
Geopolitics looms large at French presidency launch
The unrest in Kazakhstan, the tensions around Ukraine and the need to have a credible European policy vis-à-vis Russia dominated the high point of the inauguration of the French Presidency of the Council of the EU.
Macron’s remarks about ‘pissing off the unvaccinated’ further delay vaccine pass
Deputies in the French National Assembly once again suspended a session debating the draft bill for the so-called "vaccine pass" early on Wednesday (5 January). This time, it was triggered by President Emmanuel Macron's controversial comments about the unvaccinated
2022: COVID and vaccine access cast a shadow over EU-Africa partnership plan
Nearly two years after the European Commission set out plans for a ‘strategic partnership’ with Africa, and repeated delays, the long-awaited EU–African Union summit is almost upon us.
2022 : high expectations for Macron from both Brussels and Paris
Following the short-lived controversy that marred the display of the European flag on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, it is clear that the next six months of the French presidency of the Council of the European Union are shaping up to be a delicate political balancing act.
2022: Europe’s ‘ring of fire’ keeps smouldering
In 2022, EU foreign policy looks towards some fire fighting to salvage what is left of the once-dominant dream of building a ‘ring of friends’ from the Caucasus to the Sahara. Over the past year, Europe has woken up to...
Macron takes EU reins as election looms
France takes over the rotating presidency of the European Union on Saturday (1 January), affording President Emmanuel Macron the chance to pose as the EU's de facto leader in the run-up to national elections in April.
‘Hamstrung’ Europe searches for a post-Merkel leader
Angela Merkel's departure from the political stage after 16 years as chancellor has not only ushered in a new era in Germany but also shaken up the power balance in the EU.
Macron, Draghi call for reform of EU fiscal rules
French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi called Thursday (23 December) on Brussels to reform its fiscal rules to allow greater investment spending while acknowledging the necessity to reduce debt. “Just as the rules could not be...
EU leaders eye Omicron-adapted vaccines to halt COVID spread
Adapted vaccines and increased unity of purpose amongst EU governments are needed to effectively tackle the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, according to the European Commission.
EU leaders warn Russia of ‘massive consequences’ in case of aggression against Ukraine
EU leaders on Thursday (16 December) agreed to coordinate with allies over potential sanctions against Russia in the event of further military aggression on Ukraine. The problem remains to define what level of escalation would trigger what sort of response.
Macron teases future ‘ambitions’ as election looms
French President Emmanuel Macron declared his future "ambitions" for the country but declined to formally declare he was running for a second term in a lengthy prime-time TV interview that saw him defend his record as an economic reformer.
Ukraine diplomacy looms large as EU leaders meet Eastern Partnership counterparts
As tensions between Ukraine and Russia are at their highest in years, EU leaders and their Eastern Partnership counterparts met on Wednesday (15 December) for a summit aimed to reaffirm the strategic importance of the region. The EU summit with...