The French president often finds himself isolated.
By James McAuley James McAuley Foreign correspondent focusing on French and European politics and culture Email Bio Follow May 11 at 2:00 PM PARIS — Emmanuel Macron won the French presidency in 2017 on a decidedly pro-European platform. He sold voters a “Europe that protects” and took the stage at his victory party to the sound of “Ode to Joy,” the official anthem of the European Union.
“For him, this is something that is being watched very carefully outside of France,” said Pierre Vimont, a former French ambassador to the E.U. “He needs to show to his supporters and to other E.U. members that his agenda still has the support of many French voters.” Commentators in the French foreign policy establishment — and even some in Macron’s camp — say he has relied far too much on the Franco-German alliance, which has long been considered the “motor” of the E.U. but has yet to deliver him any significant results. In doing so, these critics say, Macron has neglected the rest of Europe — including countries that may have been willing partners but now feel overlooked.
“There is no future for Europe with France clashing Germany, but there is also no future for Europe with France caving in to Germany systematically. There are benefits to Franco-German agreements as well as to Franco-German disagreements.” Macron eventually got Merkel’s backing in June for a tentative integration plan that included a common euro-zone budget, one of his key desires. But at an E.U. summit the following week, the agreement was torpedoed by a Dutch-led coalition., showing the potential muscle of the “Hanseatic League” on the European political landscape.
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