With no time for Brexit, Macron sets out plans to redraw EU political map

[webfact]

With no time for Brexit, Macron sets out plans to redraw EU political map

By Michel Rose

 

FILE PHOTO - French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech at the Alb'Oru cultural centre in Bastia, on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica, February 7, 2018. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

 

PARIS (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron said he would not waste too much of his time on Brexit and would instead seek to redraw the map of "ossified" EU politics by launching an initiative of European progressives for EU elections next year.

 

The 40-year old president, who blew apart France's traditional two-party system last year by propelling his newly-formed centrist movement to power, called for the same alliance of "reformists" to join forces at the European parliament in Strasbourg.

 

Macron's comments come after EU lawmakers rejected a proposal he backed for pan-EU lists of candidates for seats in the European Parliament .

 

"It shows there's an ossification and a willingness to defend party interests rather than democratic ones," he told the Elysee Press Corps in a two-hour question-and-answer session that touched on topics ranging from Brexit to his wife Brigitte.

 

Macron said the current groupings in Strasbourg - including the conservative PPE and the Social-Democrats of the PES - no longer shared common values and were split between eurosceptics, populists, and progressives.

 

"There are inside these political parties incoherences that block us," Macron said.

 

"I think Europe would be better off democratically with a redrawing of the political map," he said, adding that he would come up with a new initiative to regroup "progressives" and "reformists" together in EU elections next year.

 

Asked how he would seek to influence politics inside an institution where his Republic On the Move party currently has no lawmaker, he said the picture might look very different after the next elections.

 

"It's totally possible to set up your own group and I believe that European reformists have a vocation to federate around them other movements," he said.

 

On Britain's plan to exit the EU, Macron said it was important for the remaining 27 countries to remain united and let the Commission's chief negotiator Michel Barnier deal with the British government.

 

But he indicated his impatience at a topic that has dominated the EU's agenda, adding: "I don't want to waste too much time on the issue."

 

At a time when European capitals are preparing to promote their own nationals for strategic posts coming open next year at the top of EU institutions, Macron said he would not make a priority of finding jobs for French candidates.

 

He said he did not care about the nationality of the next head of the European Central Bank, as long as he or she was as competent as its current chief, Mario Draghi.

 

(Additional reporting by Jean-Baptiste Vey and Marine Pennetier)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-02-14

[Guest]

That's good. There has been too much fuzz about one member leaving the union. It's time to look forward, not backwards. 

 

One thing EU needs is Silicon Valley of its own, which can start to create real alternatives to the USA based companies like Facebook, Twitter and Google. Basically bringing the communication dominance back to Europe. 

 

 

[Baerboxer]

3 hours ago, oilinki said:

That's good. There has been too much fuzz about one member leaving the union. It's time to look forward, not backwards. 

 

One thing EU needs is Silicon Valley of its own, which can start to create real alternatives to the USA based companies like Facebook, Twitter and Google. Basically bringing the communication dominance back to Europe. 

 

 

 

A EU Silicon Valley - dream on! 

 

Macron shows again his agenda of trying to drive forward a federal EU. And despite what he says the French bureaucratic juggernaut will try and push French candidates into as many jobs as possible. With the UK likely out and estranged; Germany in a weak position, government wise, there's no better time for France to stake its claim and try to organize the EU how it sees things, with French leadership and control of course!

 

Hope you can speak French!

[Guest]

32 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

A EU Silicon Valley - dream on! 

That I will do. Nordic countries like Finland and Sweden have very active technology startup scenes backed by long history of tech companies. 

 

The problem is that these companies should situate somewhere with less hostile weather. Portugal could be a nice place to create our own Silicon Valley.

[the guest]

Macron is right, EU should concentrate on the EU.

 

UK will go down it's own path, no point being submerged in all this nonsense, when there more important issues at hand.

[NeoDinosaw]

2 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 

A EU Silicon Valley - dream on! 

 

Macron shows again his agenda of trying to drive forward a federal EU. And despite what he says the French bureaucratic juggernaut will try and push French candidates into as many jobs as possible. With the UK likely out and estranged; Germany in a weak position, government wise, there's no better time for France to stake its claim and try to organize the EU how it sees things, with French leadership and control of course!

 

Hope you can speak French!

Moi ?  Oui  :)

[Stargeezr]

With Britain, Scotland and part of Ireland leaving, is it true rhat the EU is woeing some fringe countries to join, as bankrupt countries are also no help. Just wondering.

Geezer

[Medicine Man]

The EU puppets are still in denial about Brexit then

Sent from my LG-H850 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[dunroaming]

3 hours ago, Stargrazer9889 said:

With Britain, Scotland and part of Ireland leaving, is it true rhat the EU is woeing some fringe countries to join, as bankrupt countries are also no help. Just wondering.

Geezer

Love the misspell of "wooing".