Seven years after his speech on “European sovereignty”, already at the Sorbonne, Emmanuel Macron delivered, this Thursday, April 25, a new speech on the future of the European Union. A speech which comes only a few weeks before the European elections, where his camp is for the moment largely overtaken by the National Rally in the polls. European defense, EU sovereignty, “strategic autonomy”… Here is what we need to remember from the Head of State’s speech.
Building a “credible European defense”
European project often mentioned but never materialized, Emmanuel Macron assured this Thursday that he intended to invite in the coming months “all our partners” to build “a European defense initiative” which is “credible” in the face of “Russian missiles”, including “perhaps” a European anti-missile shield.
In his speech at the Sorbonne, the Head of State pleaded in particular for “a European cybersecurity and cyberdefense capacity”. He defends “a European preference in the purchase of military equipment” and supports the idea of a European loan to finance this defense effort. Faced with American disengagement, the French president pleaded Thursday for a “powerful Europe”, which “enforces its respect”, “ensures its security” and regains “its strategic autonomy”.
The concept of “European sovereignty”, a claimed victory
The concept of European sovereignty, at the center of Emmanuel Macron’s first speech at the Sorbonne in 2017, has “established itself in Europe” since 2017, the head of state welcomed. According to him, “rarely has Europe advanced so much” during this period despite “a combination of crises”, in particular the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. “No one dares to propose exits anymore, neither from Europe, nor from the euro,” Emmanuel Macron also rejoiced in his speech.
But behind these claimed victories, the head of state also wanted to be harsh on the possible future of the EU. “My message today is simple […] : we must be lucid today about the fact that our Europe is mortal, it can die”, he declared. “It depends only on our choices but these choices must be made now” because “on the horizon of the next decade, […] the risk is immense of being weakened or even relegated”, added Emmanuel Macron, referring to a Europe “in a situation of encirclement” facing the great regional powers, and judging that the values of European “liberal democracy” were “more increasingly criticized” and “contested”.
“Assume” to want to regain “control of borders”
Emmanuel Macron called on the EU to “regain control of (its) borders” and “to assume it”, and proposed “a political structure” at European level on the subjects of migration, crime and terrorism. “If we want to resist this change of rules, this escalation of violence, this disinhibition of capacities on our continent and beyond, we must adapt in terms of strategic concept, means and we must regain control of our borders fully, entirely and assume it,” declared the French president.
Stressing that the vote on the asylum and immigration pact in recent weeks was an “unprecedented step forward”, the president also spoke of the creation of a “political structure” which would make it possible to take, between “countries which share it”, “decisions” on “the subjects of immigration, the fight against organized crime, terrorism, the fight against drug trafficking or cybercrime”.
Europe must become a world leader by 2030 on AI
The Head of State says he wants to see the European Union become a “world leader” by 2030, with “dedicated financing strategies”, in five “strategic sectors of tomorrow”: artificial intelligence, quantum computing, space, biotechnologies and “new energies” (hydrogen, modular reactors and nuclear fusion).
Emmanuel Macron also declared that he wanted to include “European preference” in “defense and space” in the community treaties.
A “Europe of digital majority at 15 years”
The Head of State pleaded for the digital majority in the European Union to increase to 15 years, and for “parental control” of access to social networks below this age.
“I want to defend a Europe of digital majority at fifteen. Before fifteen, there must be parental control over access to this digital space. Because it is access, if we do not control the content, which is the fruit of all the risks and distortions of mind, which justify all hatred,” declared the French president.
Macron wants to revise trade policy
In the midst of the trade war between China and the United States, Emmanuel Macron called for a “revision” of European trade policy “by defending our interests”.
“It cannot work if we are the only ones in the world to respect the rules of trade as they were written fifteen years ago, if the Chinese, the Americans, no longer respect them by subsidizing critical sectors,” declared the French president in his speech on Europe.