Emmanuel Macron has done Europe a favour, reckons Germany’s opposition leader
subsequent interview with The Economist. His dramatic warning that “Europe could die" provides an opportunity to reflect on the challenges that face the continent, and the progress it has made since President Macron’s first speech. The geopolitical landscape has shifted dramatically over those seven years.
Britain’s exit from the European Union, the covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s war against Ukraine have fundamentally altered the political reality for Europe. Perhaps most importantly, an axis of autocracies now threatens the rules-based international order, attempting to push back against democracy and freedom worldwide. The global power competition between America and China threatens to divide the world once again into two geopolitical hemispheres.
While the conditions under which Europe operates have changed, President Macron has rightly reiterated what the continent must do to survive as a leading political force in global affairs and to achieve a greater degree of sovereignty. Only a truly sovereign Europe can retain the ability to choose its own destiny in a world characterised by great-power competition, radical technological change and the momentous challenge of climate change. The preservation of a “European way of life" must be at the heart of our efforts, by which I mean: we are more than the sum of 450m Europeans.
We are an area of common values and interests, shared history and culture, anchored in democratic tradition and the rule of law. These are the principles necessary for Europe to preserve its freedom, peace and prosperity against threats both foreign and domestic. We can only fight for democracy around the world if democracy is protected at home.
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