EU pins hopes on Macron
‘Eurosceptic’ Le Pen instils fear at polls
THE European Union has pinned its hopes on proEuropean presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron in tomorrow’s French run-off vote, wary of the threat posed by the fiercely eurosceptic Marine Le Pen.
A host of top Brussels figures led by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker have broken with their usual protocol of not interfering in national elections and openly backed the centrist former banker to beat far-right leader Le Pen.
In the EU’s corridors of power, Macron is seen as more than just a frontline defence against populism, as seen with Brexit and the rise of Donald Trump in the United States.
To many, the 39-year-old represents a breath of fresh air that could offer the embattled bloc a sorely needed chance to push ahead with unifying new projects after years of crisis.
“We are crossing our fingers,” one senior EU official said on condition of anonymity.
Macron’s gruelling televised debate with Le Pen on Wednesday was “watched widely” at the highest levels of the European institutions, “including by non-French colleagues”, the EU official said.
“Of course we see Macron in a positive way. We have the feeling that we can work with Macron because his project isn’t to destroy the EU as with Le Pen,” the official added.
This week EU Brexit negotiator and former French minister Michel Barnier said he would vote for Macron, adding that France would “stay European” under him.
Le Pen’s disdain for Europe runs deep. She has long wanted France to drop the euro single currency and return to the franc, and also leave Europe’s Schengen visa-free travel zone.
She has predicted the EU “will die” and has vowed to hold a “Frexit” referendum on France’s membership of the European Union.
Macron, a former economy minister, wants to bolster the EU and the eurozone. He wants to set up a separate budget for the 19 countries that use the common currency.
He also proposes giving the eurozone its own parliament and finance minister.
Juncker’s spokesman said France was choosing between European values and “the destruction of Europe”.
A spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel, Europe’s most powerful leader, took a similar approach, wishing Macron the best for the next two weeks of campaigning.
But analysts warned against such unmitigated enthusiasm.
“Reforming the EU may sound good on paper but Macron’s ideas are bold,” Open Europe’s Scarpetta said.
“But how much of this is realistic in practice as any of these would require changing the EU treaties,” he said, adding that powerful Germany would also have to be on board.
Meanwhile, Greenpeace activists yesterday hung a giant banner saying “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” and “#resist” from the Eiffel Tower in Paris in protest over Le Pen’s programme. The protest was intended as a warning against the dangers posed for NGOs and others, Greenpeace France head Jean-Francois Julliard told reporters.
“Liberty, equality, fraternity: it is vital to defend these values which are particularly threatened by the National Front,” Julliard said, referring to Le Pen’s party. — AFP