In the European Parliament, Emmanuel Macron poses as a champion of liberal democracy

It was undoubtedly the last solemn address of his five-year term. Emmanuel Macron delivered, on Wednesday January 19, an expected speech to MEPs in the Strasbourg Parliament, on the occasion of the start of the French presidency of the Council of the European Union (PFUE).

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Organizing his remarks around the “three great promises” of Europe, namely democracy, progress and peace, Emmanuel Macron presented to MEPs, as he had done in France during a major press conference at the beginning of December, an ambitious agenda for this PFUE, which will however be largely amputated by the French presidential and legislative elections.

The rule of law, the object of an “ideological struggle”

Seeking to appear as a great reformer of Europe, the Head of State considered that “the task of our generation is to respond in depth to the refoundation of these promises”. Welcoming the European management of the pandemic, which, according to him, contradicted the idea that the democratic model is ” tiredness “, he resolutely subscribed to the “fight for liberal democracy”.

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He has thus widely advocated for the rule of law, “existential” for Europe. “The end of the rule of law is the reign of arbitrariness, the sign of a return to authoritarian regimes”, he said, denouncing its questioning in certain member countries, without citing them. “Behind all this there is an ideological fight, carried by several authoritarian powers on our borders”, he added.

To strengthen the values ​​of Europe, Emmanuel Macron has expressed his wish to“updating the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union”, so as to be “more explicit” on the protection of the environment, or the right to abortion.

Ambitious projects for a European “possible dream”

In a broadly programmatic speech less than three months before the presidential election, the French president listed the main projects he wishes to complete during the PFUE: right of legislative initiative for the European Parliament, establishment of a carbon border adjustment mechanism, coordinated fight against irregular immigration, reform of the Schengen area, creation of a European digital market, pact with Africa, etc.

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“Faced with the tyranny of anecdote and divisions between Europeans, we have to rediscover the sense of unity, the taste for the long term, basically, the need for audacity”, he urged in conclusion. Rejecting all at once “pre-crisis policies and models”, “the return of nationalism” and “the dissolution of our identities”, Emmanuel Macron considered that the future of Europe depended on “our ability to invent a possible dream, to make it tangible, to make it a reality”.

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