Barely returned from a trip to China, Emmanuel Macron continues this Tuesday with a two-day state visit to the Netherlands with his wife.
Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron are expected this Tuesday morning in Amsterdam. The presidential couple is welcomed by King Willem-Alexander and his wife Maxima, with a ceremonial ceremony accompanied by a review of the troops. A state dinner is also offered in their honor on Tuesday evening at the royal castle.
Emmanuel Macron is pushing for a massive investment plan in the green industry in Europe to respond to that launched by Joe Biden. The EU is also concerned about excessive dependence on China in certain strategic economic sectors. Paris and The Hague will sign a “ pact for innovation », with the key to cooperation in semiconductors, quantum physics and energy. The French STMicroeletronics and the Dutch ASLM, two European semi-conductor heavyweights, already have joint projects.
Seven French ministers are on the trip
The Head of State will be accompanied by seven ministers: Foreign Affairs, European Affairs, Armed Forces, Interior, Energy Transition, Industry, Research and Transport. He will also have intergovernmental consultations with Prime Minister Mark Rutte and his team on Wednesday. The two leaders nurture a good personal relationship, while that between the French president and German chancellor Olaf Scholz has yet to be built.
The Netherlands, reputed to be more liberal and frugal within the EU, has also moved closer to other European partners since the exit of its traditional ally, the United Kingdom, from the Union. For his part, Emmanuel Macron has strengthened ties with other capitals, in particular Rome and Madrid, beyond the traditional Paris-Berlin axis. Since the start of the war in Ukraine, the positions of Paris and The Hague have “converged” in terms of economic sovereignty, in particular industrial policy, wants to believe the Elysée.
” The state visit will strengthen (…) joint efforts to make Europe stronger, greener and safer “, adds the Royal House of the Netherlands. But if he emphasizes, like Emmanuel Macron, on “ European strategic autonomy », the Royal Palace also insists on the necessary preservation of a « open economy “. The two governments will also work to finalize a defense agreement by 2024.
A delicate political week
While the political week promises to be sensitive in France, Emmanuel Macron therefore continues to honor his diplomatic agenda. This is the first visit of a French president to the Netherlands since 2000, it is explained at the Élysée to justify the interest of this trip which begins just a few days before the announcement of the decision of the Council. constitutional reform on pensions, a crucial step, the end of the ” democratic path ” of the text, according to the expression of Emmanuel Macron himself.
Last week, the President of the Republic’s visit to China had already taken place against a backdrop of social protest, forcing him to convey messages on the national situation between two interviews with his Chinese counterpart. Rebelotte this week while another day of demonstration is planned for Thursday, recalls Valerie Gas,from the political service of RFI.
But in the entourage of Emmanuel Macron, we insist on the challenge of these two days in the Netherlands. Beyond the official ceremonies and the State dinner offered by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima, the highlight of this visit will be the speech that Emmanuel Macron is to deliver this Tuesday at the Nexus Research Institute on the economic and industrial sovereignty of the European Union. A priority theme for the French president and around which he hopes to identify points of convergence with the Netherlands.