The future of the transatlantic partnership in question in the European Parliament

Debate on the future of the transatlantic relationship at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, October 5, 2021. REUTERS - POOL

Text by: RFI Follow

3 min

The relationship with the United States has been undermined in recent months, after the American snub from the Aukus security partnership (Australia-United States-United Kingdom), which caused France to lose an important contract for the delivery of submarines to Australia, as well as the chaotic withdrawal of Allied troops from Afghanistan.

Before the vote on a resolution on Wednesday, October 6, the deputies debated the question on Tuesday.

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With our special

correspondent

in Strasbourg,

Anastasia Becchio

Don't be naive in your relationship with the United States. This is the wish formulated by the author of the report debated on Tuesday 5 October, the Croatian Social Democrat Tonino Picula. The European Union must move forward on the issue of strategic autonomy, believes centrist MEP Nathalie Loiseau, vice-president of the delegation for relations with NATO. “

A very strong consensus has been forged between political groups in the European Parliament, not all but a very large majority, to say strategic autonomy in matters of foreign policy, defense and economic relations. That does not mean that we are turning our backs on the United States, certainly not. It is our first ally. But that means that we have legitimate European interests to defend and when necessary, autonomously.

», She comments.

The draft report reaffirms Parliament's support for a strong transatlantic relationship.

The French delegation of the social and ecological left will abstain from voting on it.

Raphaël Glucksmann, member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

There is an" America first "which continues, it is not a fleeting or ephemeral slogan and in the face of that, we will have to assert in a much more pragmatic and much more ambitious way the interests of the European Union,

estimates- he does.

It is quite possible to cooperate with the Americans, but there is first of all the need to be able to choose independently.

The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell will visit Washington next week.

Anthony Blinken received by Emmanuel Macron

After the cold snap of three weeks ago when Australia decided not to honor the agreement with France for the purchase of submarines and to turn to the Americans, the Secretary of State American

Anthony Blinken was in Paris

A "positive" interview according to a senior American official. "

We could have, we should have done better at the level of communication, but above all we sometimes tend to take for granted a relationship as important, as deep as the one between France and the United States, and precisely, we do better, because, following the instructions of the two presidents, what we have been doing for a few weeks now is a deepening both in terms of consultation and communication, but also on coordination and cooperation on the most important issues. most important links between our two countries,

said the US Secretary of State on France 2.

Whether it is the Indo-Pacific itself, or we will work more closely together, in the Sahel, where there is already a very important partnership that will deepen or in the Euro-Atlantic area, including on questions of security.

The future of the transatlantic partnership in question in the European Parliament

The future of the transatlantic partnership in question in the European Parliament

Anthony Blinken received by Emmanuel Macron

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