Macron officially declares his candidacy in 2022 French presidential election

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Char · #1 Post by **Char** » Fri Mar 04, 2022 10:27 am

Macron has now announced he will be running for a second term in the presidential election, seeking a mandate to steer the eurozone's second-largest economy through the fallout from Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the Covid-19 pandemic.

https://www.france24.com/en/europe/2022 ... l-election

Blaze · #2 Post by **Blaze** » Fri Mar 04, 2022 11:07 am

Unless something dramatic happens, he doesn't have much competition. I doubt France is ready for a far right government or a woman president. Those that bother to vote will end up voting for Macron and whinge afterwards that they didn't have a choice .... we've heard it all before.

Hollande had a tricky innings with terrorism and Macron with Covid. Whoever gets in next will have Ukraine and its fallout.

niemeyjt · #3 Post by **niemeyjt** » Fri Mar 04, 2022 11:18 am

My worry is that he seems to be looking to build the EU army based on the back of Ukraine - currently during France's 6 month EU Presidency - and if he is reelected during his next term.

I am not sure that anything that undermines NTO is advisable at this moment in time.

Blaze · #4 Post by **Blaze** » Fri Mar 04, 2022 11:29 am

niemeyjt wrote: ↑Fri Mar 04, 2022 11:18 am My worry is that he seems to be looking to build the EU army based on the back of Ukraine

Perhaps he's trying to build something that doesn't concern America ...

niemeyjt · #5 Post by **niemeyjt** » Fri Mar 04, 2022 11:35 am

Blaze wrote: ↑Fri Mar 04, 2022 11:29 amPerhaps he's trying to build something that doesn't concern America ...

Maybe - but to my mind removing three of the largest NATO armies (US, UK and Turkey), not to mention Canada, and then replacing them with Malta, Cyprus, Ireland, Finland, Sweden and Austria is not going to strengthen the defence of Europe.

Blaze · #6 Post by **Blaze** » Fri Mar 04, 2022 11:59 am

niemeyjt wrote: ↑Fri Mar 04, 2022 11:35 am removing three of the largest NATO armies (US, UK and Turkey

I thought it was just the US he wanted to move away from, not the UK or Turkey.

niemeyjt · #7 Post by **niemeyjt** » Fri Mar 04, 2022 1:43 pm

Blaze wrote: ↑Fri Mar 04, 2022 11:59 amI thought it was just the US he wanted to move away from, not the UK or Turkey.

That may be his intention, but making it EU only means that NATO forces from Iceland, Norway, US, Canada, UK and Turkey also wouldn't be involved.

Another "win" for Putin if it happens.

Spardo · #8 Post by **Spardo** » Sat Mar 05, 2022 9:27 am

niemeyjt wrote: ↑Fri Mar 04, 2022 1:43 pm
Blaze wrote: ↑Fri Mar 04, 2022 11:59 amI thought it was just the US he wanted to move away from, not the UK or Turkey.
That may be his intention, but making it EU only means that NATO forces from Iceland, Norway, US, Canada, UK and Turkey also wouldn't be involved.

Another "win" for Putin if it happens.

I can see why it is a tempting idea for Macron, and others, but the reality is as you say J, unless of course it was an EU army, as an entity other than national, but within NATO. Very difficult to bring about successfully though.

Wilbro · #9 Post by **Wilbro** » Sat Mar 05, 2022 9:56 am

Touch of De Gaulle here.

niemeyjt · #10 Post by **niemeyjt** » Wed Apr 20, 2022 7:27 am

So now we see the US is about to ship yet another batch of weaponry to help Ukraine whilst Germany is blocking the transfer of some old tanks.

Hopefully, that will finally open everyone's eyes to who is prepared to stand up to Putin and who is not - and put the final nail in the coffin of the EU Army.

At least it looks like MLP may not be in a position to pull France out of NATO.

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