After a seven-year absence, Emmanuel Macron has returned to speak at the historic Parisian University of La Sorbonne. In 2017, as a newly elected young president, Macron launched his programmatic speech for Europe at this same university and established himself as a leader on the community scene. Today, just a few weeks before the European elections, Macron is back at La Sorbonne with a new political manifesto: “Europe can die if it does not become a military power and focus more on growth.”
Facing external threats and internal opposition, Macron now presents a new vision for Europe, emphasizing the need for the continent to become more militarily powerful in the face of challenges posed by regional powers like China and Russia. He acknowledges that the rules of the game have changed and emphasizes the importance of Europe being sufficiently armed to guarantee its safety.
Macron also highlights the need for economic competitiveness, urging a revival of the economy to avoid stagnation. He calls for a shift in focus from inflation to growth and emphasizes the importance of European producers being able to compete with other global players. Macron warns against countries that do not adhere to trade rules and stresses the need for Europe to review its trade policy.
In his speech, Macron also takes a political stance against nationalists and anti-Europeanists, cautioning that their attitudes could lead Europe to “die” if pro-Europeans do not stand up against them. He emphasizes the importance of audacity in the face of fears and urges Europeans to not let nationalists and anti-Europeanists gain ground.
Overall, Macron’s speech at La Sorbonne presents a strong and decisive vision for Europe in the face of current challenges. He calls for military strength, economic competitiveness, and a united front against political forces that could threaten the future of the continent.