Marine Le Pen accused the French President on Wednesday of preparing a "betrayal of the nation".

The right-wing populist presidential candidate suspects that Emmanuel Macron could give up France's permanent UN Security Council seat in favor of the EU in order to induce the EU partners to build a European army.

Many currently believe that Macron will do the diplomatic coup because he urgently needs a report of success in foreign policy after the AUKUS debacle.

Jochen Buchsteiner

Political correspondent in London.

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Michaela Wiegel

Political correspondent based in Paris.

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The right-wing presidential candidate Xavier Bertrand demanded in an interview in the newspaper La Provence that the Europeans be asked "the vote of confidence".

“Do we have a European defense, yes or no?

With all Europeans or just a few, ”asked Bertrand.

The left-wing presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon also fueled suspicions of impending “high treason” by Macron in the social networks.

Strategic answer to the new defense pact?

The excitement was caused by an article in the British newspaper Daily Telegraph. Under the title "Emmanuel Macron could offer UN seat for EU army", the newspaper reported on Wednesday Macron's efforts to find a strategic answer to the new trilateral defense pact between America, Great Britain and Australia, which sidelined France and the European Union have asked.

With reference to the advance of some EU representatives to set up a 5,000-strong European reaction force, the newspaper quoted MEP Sandro Gozi, who sits for Macron's party in the European Parliament: "I think if we get ahead in these matters, we can also bring the discussion about the Security Council on the table. ”The newspaper interpreted Gozi as meaning that Macron was ready to share the French UN seat, provided that Berlin and a few others move and thus enable the EU to have one voice on foreign policy speaks and makes more efforts towards a common defense policy.

Gozi, a former Italian European Minister nominated by Macron as a candidate for the EU Parliament, looked at France's presidency starting in January and said: "This is a unique opportunity for him (Macron) and for France." After the experience which the EU did with America when it withdrew from Afghanistan and now with AUKUS, it must “grow up in matters of security and take responsibility”. Macron, Gozi predicted, would “put a lot of pressure” on. "That's probably his top priority right now."

The report was denied unusually quickly in the Elysée Palace.

“France has not proposed giving up its UN Security Council seat.

It belongs to France and it will stay that way, ”it said.

Gozi, in turn, announced that his statements had been "totally distorted".

The Italian is part of Macron's informal advisory team.

He had previously worked as a European advisor in the official residence of the then Prime Minister Edouard Philippe.

Among other things, Gozi is tasked with preparing the French-Italian friendship treaty ("Quirinals contract") with which Macron would like to open his second term of office.