France wants to coordinate the European response to Islamist terrorism

Emmanuel Macron leaves the Austrian Embassy in Paris on November 3, 2020 after signing the book of condolences to the victims of the Vienna attack.

Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP

Text by: RFI Follow

3 min

Emmanuel Macron will receive Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz at the Elysee Palace this Tuesday, November 10 for a working lunch before a videoconference with Angela Merkel, Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel.

Objective: to coordinate the European response to Islamist terrorism.

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For Emmanuel Macron, fighting Islamist terrorism must be a common struggle for all European countries.

If in recent weeks, France has been attacked on several occasions, the attack in Austria has shown, according to the entourage of the Head of State, that it is not a “Franco-French” problem.

The Vienna attack

shocked Austria, but also Europe.

It has accelerated the awareness of the European Union on the need for a common response to the terrorist threat, analyzes our correspondent in Vienna

Isaure Hiace

.

“ 

I think that there were still a certain number of Europeans who thought that it was a subject which was reserved for a few countries and mainly France,

explains Clément Beaune, the Secretary of State for European Affairs.

We have seen that this was the first attack of this nature in Austria and that Islamist terrorists could strike everywhere.

Europe has opened its eyes

 !

"

Macron at the maneuver

Emmanuel Macron is therefore maneuvering to organize the risost at the European level.

In this ambition,

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz

represents an ally.

During their lunch, which will take place at the Elysee Palace at the request of Emmanuel Macron due to the health crisis, and not in Vienna as initially proposed by the Austrian Chancellor, the two leaders will therefore take stock in mind. head.

They will then meet by videoconference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and President of the European Council Charles Michel.

A mini-summit before a European Council on December 10 where proposals should be presented.

Common courses of action are studied.

Emmanuel Macron has already put the issue of controls at Europe's external borders on the table.

The political objective is to succeed in making decisions at 27 and to carry them with one voice.

With Emmanuel Macron in sight for the French presidency of the European Union, which begins in January 2021.

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  • Emmanuel Macron

  • Sebastian kurz

  • Terrorism

  • European Union