- Title: Recovery, strength, and sovereignty - Macron's agenda as France heads EU
- Date: 9th December 2021
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (FILE - NOVEMBER 11, 2021) (Reuters) MACRON APPROACHING OFFICIALS DURING ARMISTICE DAY CELEBRATIONS MACRON WALKING TOWARDS TOMB OF UNKNOWN SOLDIER VETERANS HOLDING FLAGS MACRON GIVING SPEECH
- Embargoed: 23rd December 2021 14:11
- Keywords: EU EU presidency European Union Le Pen Macron Zemmour
- Location: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM / PARIS, VILLEPINTE, FREJUS AND STRASBOURG, FRANCE
- City: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM / PARIS, VILLEPINTE, FREJUS AND STRASBOURG, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: European Union,Europe,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA006F7BFFPJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: PLEASE NOTE: EDIT 4023-FRANCE-EU/MACRON CONTAINS SOUNDBITES OF MACRON FROM HIS SPEECH ABOUT EUROPE
France's turn at the presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2022 will be centred on three themes - recovery, strength and sovereignty.
President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday (December 9) France would use its rotating presidency of the European Council to strengthen Europe's ability to control its borders.
He said he would like to build a strong, fully sovereign, free Europe that is the "master of its destiny".
An expert on the European Union at Sciences Po University, Marion Gaillard, said promoting sovereignty has long been a pillar of Macron's vision for Europe.
"This will be his central theme, to build this strategic autonomy, whether in the field of health, in digital affairs, in energy supply, and of course, in the field of defence and security," said Marion Gaillard, a professor and expert on the European Union at the Sciences Po University.
Gaillard added however that France's presidency of the EU Council -- in which French ministers will chair meetings with their counterparts from the bloc -- might be a distraction during the election season.
Macron is expected to run for a second term, but has not formally declared his candidacy.
"This could also interfere with France's presidency (in the EU) in a sense that it could be an issue to exploit in a negative way by his opponents who are anti-European or Eurosceptic, obviously in the far-right, but also a part of the far-left," Gaillard said.
Far-right candidates Eric Zemmour and Marine Le Pen have been campaigning heavily on nationalist themes.
Gaillard said it could also play into Macron's favour, as he could very well play up the need for stability and consistency in French leadership, to assure a stable Europe.
France will hold the presidency from January 1 to June 30, 2022.
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