Emmanuel Macron has called the crucial second round of France's presidential elections "a referendum on Europe".
That's daring.
The last French referendum on Europe did not end well.
It revealed a deep split between distrustful, dissatisfied citizens and a pro-European elite.
A clear majority voted "No" against the European Constitutional Treaty.
Since that day, no French president has dared to organize a referendum on Europe.
Still, Macron is right.
The choice between Marine Le Pen and him is a directional decision with consequences far beyond the borders of France.
Macron may have asked too much of the EU at times and thought its future too French.
He challenged German certainties.
But he has never raised any doubts that he wants to move the EU forward.
Le Pen doesn't even want to try to make compromises with Germany.
She speaks of “insurmountable differences”.
It announces the end of all armaments cooperation.
She attacks German energy policy.
As President, she would be the executor of Vladimir Putin's plan to destroy the EU from within.
Le Pen would destroy the EU from within
Le Pen is reassuring voters because she no longer champions Frexit.
She promises to keep the euro because she knows the French are afraid for their savings.
She deceives her followers by promising to increase France's influence in Europe.
But it would destroy the Franco-German work of reconciliation.
One only has to listen to her deride compromise as “blindness”.
She gives herself the image of a gentle cat breeder.
But behind their purr lurk the claws of nationalism.
Le Pen's project amounts to an empty chair policy.
France remains a member of the EU, but no longer plays by its rules.
If the second strongest economy blocks everything, then the EU will be unable to act.
Le Pen's plans are well known.
She wants to withhold French EU contributions.
She wants to regain sovereignty in immigration issues and undermine the European Court of Justice and the European Convention on Human Rights.
It prepares the end of the EU as a legal community.
According to its own statements, it is working towards a “Europe of fatherlands”.
That sounds harmless, but it means a return to national selfishness.
Their loyalty to the alliance is not far off
Under President Le Pen, the motto would be: France first.
This also applies to the Ukraine war.
She does not consider the fate of Ukrainians worth fundamentally reviewing relations with Moscow.
She condemned the war.
But she says she wants to resume cooperation with Russia immediately after a ceasefire.
Their loyalty to the alliance is not far off either.
She wants to leave the integrated military structures of NATO.
She is ready to weaken the transatlantic alliance in a moment of probation.
Macron has warned that a Le Pen win is not impossible.
Berlin would be well advised to take the warning seriously.
Germany should prepare for emergencies, even if the plans will hopefully remain in the drawer.