Europe 1 with AFP 1:45 p.m., May 09, 2022
For the official day of Europe, on May 9, Emmanuel Macron will travel to Strasbourg for the closing of the Conference on the future of Europe.
He will also travel to Berlin, reserving his first official visit of this second term to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Freshly reinvested, French President Emmanuel Macron should take advantage of the symbolic date of May 9 and his visit to Strasbourg on Monday to boast of a more powerful Europe ready to reform itself to meet the expectations of citizens.
On the same day, he will then go to Berlin, reserving, as tradition dictates, the first official visit since his re-election to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Support for Franco-German friendship, "with an even stronger symbolism of Europe Day", it is emphasized at the Elysée.
On May 9, the day Russia also celebrates the victory over Nazi Germany in 1945 and the possible demonstration of military power in the midst of the war in Ukraine, "two models will assert themselves face to face", considers the French presidency .
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On the one hand, in Strasbourg, for the closing of the Conference on the future of Europe, "the affirmation of the strength of liberal democracies, of their plurality and of freedom of expression".
On the other, in Moscow, "an affirmation of strength, of a model of historical revisionism which today sheds blood on Ukrainian soil".
In the hemicycle of the European Parliament, Emmanuel Macron's speech "aims (will) to receive proposals from citizens and to raise a certain number of issues in the context of the war in Ukraine", advances the Elysée.
Democratic breathing
Born from an initial idea of the French president, the Conference on the future of Europe had started very laboriously a year ago, between very limited enthusiasm on the part of some and the health crisis complicating debates and meetings.
In the end, through a vast process of panels and thematic working groups, bringing together 800 citizens, elected officials and various representatives of civil society, some 325 measures outlining 49 proposals were approved on 30 April.
The Elysée considers that this consultation was "a moment of democratic breathing".
And this despite a limited echo and criticisms of the place of citizens, considered by some to be superficial, as well as of what the political parties contemptuous of the EU have denounced as being too pro-European among themselves.
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The final report of this citizens' consultation will be officially delivered on Monday, during a ceremony starting at noon, to the presidents of the three European institutions: Roberta Metsola for the Parliament, Ursula von der Leyen for the Commission and Emmanuel Macron, France holding the presidency. rotation of the Council of the EU until the end of June.
It is now up to EU leaders to decide whether or not to give life to these citizens' demands for a Europe with broader, more participatory and more social skills.
European treaties
Hoping to see its political weight strengthened, the European Parliament launched the movement last week, calling for the start of a procedure for changing the European treaties.
A risky but necessary step for some of the proposals, such as, for example, giving Parliament a right of initiative or expanding Brussels' powers in defense or health.
The unanimity of the Member States, necessary on a certain number of subjects, taxation in particular, and a frequent source of blockages, is also called into question.
For their part, the governments, represented by the Council, show "less resistance to supporting the ideas emerging from the Conference on the future of Europe" and their "willingness to look into these citizens' proposals has grown", according to a European source.
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If the establishment of a "pragmatic federalism and ideals" in an EU destined to expand "requires a procedure for changing treaties, then let's go, with courage and assurance", had launched Wednesday, before the MEPs, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi.
A revision of the treaties, "is neither a totem nor a taboo", affirms for its part the Elysée.