15 Dec 2019 EMMANUEL MACRON has made a series of controversial statements in recent weeks, and one expert told Express.co.uk the French leader’s words are motivated by a push for increased influence for Paris within the EU as the UK leaves.
The French President’s most notable comments came before the NATO summit in London earlier this month when in the buildup to the meeting of world leaders, he referred to the alliance as suffering from “brain death”. Mr Macron is attempting to shift European focus towards issues France deems as priorities, as well as to elevate Paris’ position within the EU in an effort to make the country the new centre of the Western world.
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James Rogers told Express.co.uk: “I think that Macron is trying to reposition France, because over the last 10-15 years France has seen a considerable decrease in its influence in power both in the context of NATO and the EU.
“What I think he is trying to do is, as the UK leaves the EU he is trying to regain the initiative and therefore he is trying to shake up the strategic thinking in Europe.
“Specifically, he is trying to get Germany more in line with the French strategic perspective.
“He is trying to increase the tempo and fervour of his statements to shake European nations out of what he perceives to be complacency.”
Mr Rogers is a security expert at the Henry Jackson Society, and believes that President Macron is trying to shift European focus away from issues in Eastern Europe to threats prioritised by France.
Mr Rogers continued: “I think it’s very clear that the french and some other southern European countries have a very different understanding of security than the UK or US does.
“France’s historical priority is in North Africa, but in recent years NATO has swung round to focus on increasingly on the Baltic states in relation to the influence of Russia, whereas France doesn’t see Russia as such a threat.”
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In November Mr macron blocked the entry of two Balkan countries (North Macedonia and Albania) from joining the EU, with fears growing over Russian interference.
But Mr Rogers claims this move played into Russian President Vladimir Putin’s hands, and described the move as a “profound mistake.”
He said: “I think the idea that enlargement is something to be avoided is a profound mistake, it is allowing these vacuums to be left wide open like seen in Ukraine and Moldova, this invites hostile actors like the Russians.”
As the UK prepares to reuse Brexit proceedings, Prime Minister Boris Johnson could be leaving a divided Europe behind in the near future.
