Internal strife in France and Germany disrupts EU summit
12:18 PM EDT, June 28, 2024
Internal issues faced by the leaders of France and Germany influenced the recent European Union summit. Bloomberg reports that Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz reportedly demanded urgent changes to the EU's strategic agenda during confidential negotiations, which displeased other politicians.
According to Bloomberg, Macron and Scholz "attempted to force through a last-minute rewrite of their long-term policy priorities," frustrating other member states.
Disagreements arose during the discussion on the so-called EU strategic agenda. The agenda outlines the principles for the Community's response to climate change, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and immigration. According to Bloomberg's sources, the French president and the German chancellor demanded last-minute changes to the wording related to defense, which had been worked on intensively beforehand.
Problems in Berlin and Paris
Ultimately, only minor amendments were made, but the damage was done. Diplomats unanimously emphasized that Macron's and Scholz's sudden decisions stem from their weakening positions in their respective countries.
After the June election results were announced, Macron dissolved the French parliament and called early elections, scheduled for June 30 (first round) and July 7 (second round). In France, the National Rally (RN) led by Marine Le Pen achieved a record result in the EU Parliament elections, securing approximately 31.4 percent of the vote, while Macron's Renaissance party struggled.
Right-wing populists also achieved success in Germany. The far-right AfD received 15.9 percent of the vote, surpassing Scholz's center-left party in eastern states.
Tectonic movements in Paris and Berlin led to tremors in Brussels, grappling with Russia's war in Ukraine and rising trade tensions between Washington and Beijing. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban bluntly stated that "everyone is talking" about the elections in France.
An anonymous diplomat told Bloomberg that French officials had grim faces during EU deliberations. Furthermore, President Macron announced plans to appoint Thierry Breton, currently the European Commissioner for Internal Market and Services, to one of the highest positions in the EU. Bloomberg emphasizes that if Le Pen's party wins the elections, they will have their prime minister and influence key EU nominations.
