Europe's concerns

The French parliamentary election has ended for a week, but the post-election is still a hot topic as France is the second largest economy in the European Union (EU), having an important position in this bloc.

French President Emmanuel Macron leaves a polling station for the National Assembly in Le Touquet, June 30, 2024. Photo: THX/TTXVN

According to Ms. Marie Krpata, a researcher at the French Institute of International Relations, French President Emmanuel Macron was a driving force in the EU regarding a number of topics, such as in 2017, making a number of proposals to help the EU move forward; having certain successes in the EU's industrial policy; establishing trade protection mechanisms, actively coordinating in defense policy at the continental level. In addition, there is the concept of "self-determination" of Europe, a concept proposed by the French President and accepted within the EU...

However, the French National Assembly is currently divided into three major political blocs, with no party holding an absolute majority. If the situation continues, it will be forced to seek alliances to pass laws. According to Ms. Krpata, that will force France to focus all its attention on domestic issues, and its voice in the EU will be weakened when it cannot contribute much to the bloc. Meanwhile, the situation in Germany, the EU's largest economy, is also not very bright.

The Economist newspaper once expressed concern about the unsatisfactory economic situation: stagnant growth, high inflation, and rising energy prices making it difficult for German industrial establishments to compete.

In addition, in 2025, Germany will also have legislative elections, and first of all, there will be regional elections in the eastern states such as Brandenburg and Saxony in September 2024. Will the parties in the ruling coalition win, in the context that traditionally, voters in the eastern states of Germany all support extremist parties, far-right and far-left parties.

So, according to Ms. Krpata, both France and Germany are likely to be weakened. This has a serious impact on the EU at a time when the bloc is facing important crossroads, having to decide how to act in a world of increasingly fierce international relations; the EU is sandwiched between China and the US, especially when former US President Donald Trump could return to the White House later this year.

MINH CHAU

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/noi-lo-cua-chau-au-post749249.html