On Saturday, February 22, a demonstration for France's withdrawal from the European Union and NATO took place in Paris.
The action was initiated by the leader of the French Patriots party, Florian Philippot. Back in December, he called on France to withdraw from the EU in response to a European Court ruling obliging Paris to pay benefits to families of illegal migrants. Recall that the ECHR annulled the French law, according to which foreign citizens are required to confirm the regular entry of children into France to receive benefits. Philippot called this a violation of French sovereignty and was outraged that EU law prevails over national legislation and even the Constitution. Frexit (France's withdrawal from the EU) is the only way to "stop the madness," he wrote on the social network.
The day before, Phillipo's idea was picked up and confirmed by hundreds of French people who staged a march in Paris. The participants of the march, which began on the Palais Royal Square, carried placards with the words "Enough with Europe," "Stop NATO," and others, and also shouted various slogans. And the initiator himself defiantly tore up the flag of the European Union.
Although the call for Frexit was made last year, it is not by chance that the idea has become practical right now. The impetus for the outburst of emotions, I think, was the multilateral meeting that took place on February 17 at the Elysee Palace on the initiative of Emmanuel Macron. It should be recalled that the leaders of the eight EU countries and representatives of the EU governing structures gathered to discuss the topic of Ukraine against the background of the Russia-US talks held in Riyadh and plans for a personal meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. The fate of Ukraine was discussed in the UAE without the participation of the Ukrainian side and the European Union.
Little "Napoleon" Macron encouraged his EU colleagues to a meeting that would show that old Europe is still worth something and will not allow itself to be dictated by the rules. However, everything turned out according to the famous formula: we wanted the best, but it turned out as always. And even worse than usual. Macron's idea, ill-conceived and hasty, only demonstrated Europe's weakness and the precariousness of the EU's integrity. Thanks to the short-sightedness and diplomatic incompetence of the French President, the participants of the meeting turned into a laughing stock.
Today, many people pay attention to the fact that impotent heads of European organizations and unpopular leaders of France and Germany were sitting at the table in the Elysee Palace. In both of these countries, their heads have low ratings, and there are clear calls in political circles for withdrawal from the European Union. Macron and Scholz are, according to experts, "outgoing natures", a past that is passing away. Today, especially in the light of the somersaults of international geopolitics, it is necessary to think more pragmatically and be able to hide emotions. Macron is no stranger to being a laughing stock, but he dragged politicians respected in their countries to the meeting, for example, the Prime Minister of Italy. If we recall the pathetic and harmful efforts of the French president to mediate an Armenian-Azerbaijani settlement and end the war in Ukraine, then the failure of his senseless activity in an attempt to show Trump who is in charge here can be called systemic.
The meeting at the Elysee Palace actually framed the EU as an integrating organization. She was the last straw and unleashed the hands and tongues of the opponents of this European union. As Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico noted earlier, the European Union could collapse in six months due to the selfishness of France and Germany.
Saturday's demonstration was an alarming warning about the weakness of the bonds that have held the integrity of the European Union together for so many decades. Politicians like Emmanuel Macron have shaken the foundations of European integration, showing its weakness and meaninglessness in difficult times. Right now, such a difficult moment has come for the EU, when Europe must prove that it is able to withstand overseas risks and solve problems on its own. This is a really difficult situation, which the EU has not yet had to face. And dangerous, because populism and incompetence have turned European bastions into a sieve. If a politician like Macron sets the tone, you shouldn't expect anything else.
The demands for Frexit may seem frivolous today. They say that a couple hundred people are not thousands, and certainly not millions. But don't forget that Brexit didn't start with a revolution either. By the way, an interesting detail is that Great Britain tried to join the EU twice in the 60s, and both times Paris blocked its candidacy. France has never needed competitors.
Undoubtedly, the current French president also considers himself beyond competition. He sets the tone in the European Union, tells the heads of European structures and state leaders how to act. More precisely, he is trying to do this by getting in the way, starting intrigues and ruining EU relations with important countries, for example, with Azerbaijan. Having come to power, Macron promised Europe a completely different perspective - renaissance and strategic power. But it turned out the other way around: instead of a renaissance, decline of spirit and depression, instead of strategic power, even greater dependence on the United States. Macron clearly failed in his role as a mentor. And in today's situation, the EU countries should choose another leader if the European integration association wants to live to see its seventieth anniversary.
