France takes EU reins with push for more sovereignty

French President Emmanuel Macron has pledged to boost Europe’s strategic power and sovereignty, as France formally took the reins of the 27-nation bloc for the next six months with big ambitions.

A leitmotif of the French presidency over the next six months will be the need for greater autonomy for the region.

Mr Macron has been championing the idea since he took power five years ago and will use the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, which sets the political agenda of the region, to try to put it into practice.

French President Emmanuel Macron, right, and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen participate in a media conference after a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France
French President Emmanuel Macron, right, and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen at a press conference after a meeting at the Elysee Palace (Michel Euler, Pool/AP)

“It will allow us to have a common European position at Nato and to act together in a more co-ordinated way,” Mr Macron said, adding that he wants to develop Europe’s defence industry and increase the bloc’s technological autonomy.

Amid lingering tensions between Russia and Ukraine, Mr Macron added that the EU will also build proposals for “an architecture of European security”, which is still largely dependent on the US and Nato.

Mr Macron and Ms von der Leyen earlier paid tribute to two leading European figures at France’s famed Pantheon, honouring the memories of Simone Veil and Jean Monnet.

Giant portraits of late French politician Simone Veil, right, and diplomat Jean Monne, left, are displayed outside the Pantheon before a tribute ceremony at the French Pantheon in Paris
Giant portraits of late French politician Simone Veil, right, and diplomat Jean Monnet, left, are displayed outside the Pantheon in Paris (Ludovic Marin, Pool Photo via AP)

She spearheaded the fight to legalise abortion in France and was the first woman president of the European Parliament.

Monnet was a founding father of the European Union.

Both Mr Macron and Ms von der Leyen wore masks during the visit inside the domed building, amid a wave of coronavirus cases that somewhat overshadowed the beginning of the French tenure and caused trouble for the French leader ahead of the arrival in Paris of EU officials.

Mr Macron, who is expected to seek re-election later this year, made headlines earlier this week by using rude language in reference to the country’s minority of unvaccinated people.

In an interview with a newspaper, Mr Macron described his strategy for pressuring vaccine refusers to get coronavirus jabs by using the word “emmerder” – rooted in the French word for “crap” and meaning to rile.

His vulgar language dominated news broadcasts and provoked angry reactions from his political rivals.

To move things forward on the continental stage on the vast array of touchy topics he wants to tackle, Mr Macron will need to adopt a more consensual tone with his EU counterparts.

French President Emmanuel Macron, third right, speaks with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, third left, during a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France
French President Emmanuel Macron, third right, speaks with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, third left, during a meeting at the Elysee Palace (Michel Euler, Pool/AP)

“Because the voice of France speaks loud and clear, and France has Europe at heart,” she said.

Among other main themes France wants to promote are the introduction of an EU minimum wage, a carbon tax on imported products and the reform of the EU’s fiscal rules.

France also wants to accelerate discussions between member states to find a consensus on the stalled overhaul of the bloc’s asylum system.

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