• Tweeter
  • republish

French President Emmanuel Macron and elected President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, July 23 at the Elysee. MARIN / AFP ludovic

This Monday, October 14, it will be their first meeting since the rejection of the French candidate Sylvie Goulard by the European Parliament. The French president did not go to extremes to blame some of this scathing failure on the future president of the European Commission. The working meeting could be more complicated than when Ursula von der Leyen came to the Elysee Palace in July.

With our correspondent in Brussels, Pierre Benazet

The meeting between Emmanuel Macron and Ursula von der Leyen should focus on the implementation of the political program it presented in July and especially on the establishment of the new European Commission.

It is therefore the estate of Sylvie Goulard that will be the centerpiece of their discussions. The priority of the Élysée is the maintenance for the commissioner that France must now designate the broad portfolio of the Internal Market attached to the Defense, Space, Industrial Policy and Digital.

Ursula von der Leyen did not react to what Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday. She only said that she wanted to restart the process with the European Parliament. The atmosphere is likely to be slightly tense, although this Friday, Emmanuel Macron spoke of the need to get out of tension.

Ensure the support of the centrist group

The ideal for Ursula von der Leyen would be to leave Paris with a new Commissioner's name for France. But he also needs Monday to reach an appeasement. History to make sure that the centrist group to which belong the deputies of the Republic in march will continue to support it for the investiture - which promises to be delicate - of the college of European commissioners.