On the eve of a European Council, Thursday June 23 and Friday June 24, in Brussels, Stéphane Séjourné, the president of the liberal Renew group in the European Parliament, projects himself on the months to come. After legislative elections which changed the face of the National Assembly and left the French president without an absolute majority, this early macronist assesses the consequences for France’s place on the European scene.
After the legislative elections which consecrated the rise of Eurosceptic parties, this is the case of LFI, even Europhobes, like the RN, is France’s position on the European scene weakened?
For five years, France has taken a form of leadership in Europe. Today, the President of the Republic remains master of European politics, I think he will not be prevented by this new configuration. Moreover, Europe is already populated by governments which do not have an absolute majority, or even which are in a minority. This is the case in Spain, Denmark or Sweden.
On paper, we have a pro-European majority in the National Assembly. There are socialists, ecologists who have a very pro-European line in the European Parliament, which should be reflected at national level. Afterwards, we will see if the ideological line of the Nupes, and therefore a form of sovereignism, prevails. But I have the feeling that the European disobedience was only a misguided campaign. We will surely have the opportunity in the coming weeks to test this European majority in the French Hemicycle. We can have a good surprise.
The leadership of a country in Europe is also measured by its ability to carry out structural reforms, such as that of pensions, which is one of the Commission’s demands and which is eagerly awaited by our European partners. Can Emmanuel Macron still reform?
In the current, very constrained economic situation, our ability to reform in France will depend on the consultations that the President is conducting today [avec les présidents de parti] and our ability to choose a few major themes on which we can find compromises in the National Assembly.
We will have to take into account, at the national level, political sensitivities that have been designated by the French. The voice of France will be both the voice of its president and the voice of those who can make it possible to obtain a majority in the National Assembly. It will take a lot of political capital and energy to continue to be able to reform the country.
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