French President Emmanuel Macron has fired a dramatic warning to Europe, urging the continent to step up and start acting like a global power. He said Europe faces a stark “wake-up call” from rising threats. China, Russia, and even the United States are all reshaping the world order.

Speaking to a group of European newspapers, Macron said the moment for hesitation is over. He challenged Europe to decide whether it is ready to become a true power. He said the test spans the economy, defence, security, and democratic systems.

His comments come just days before an EU summit in Brussels later this week. The timing is no accident. Macron is clearly pushing leaders to confront what he sees as a dangerous new reality.

In past decades, Europe relied on others for stability. The United States was seen as a permanent security guarantor. Russia was once a source of cheap energy.

Macron said that era is over. Russia stopped being a reliable energy partner three years ago. The U.S., he warned, is no longer certain to guarantee Europe’s security.

China, meanwhile, has become an ever more aggressive rival. Macron said the global order is sliding into disorder. Climate change is accelerating and geopolitical tensions are rising.

At the heart of his pitch is money — and a lot of it. Macron repeated his call for EU-wide mutualised loans. He wants to raise hundreds of billions of euros for industrial investment.

He said it is time for shared European debt. He described it as “eurobonds for the future.” The goal is to fund massive projects that would shape Europe’s long-term strength.

Macron said Europe needs around €1.2 trillion a year. That money would go into defence, security, clean energy, and artificial intelligence. He called these sectors vital to Europe’s survival and influence.

He also argued Europe must protect its industries. The U.S. and China already do, he said. Europe, by contrast, is the most open market in the world.

Macron insisted he is not calling for protectionism. Instead, he wants coherence. He said Europe should not impose strict rules on its own producers that it does not apply to non-European rivals.

Not everyone is convinced. Germany and other countries have long been sceptical of shared EU debt. They fear France is trying to shift financial burdens it cannot carry alone.

Macron admitted France has struggled with reform. He said France never had a balanced model like some northern economies. He also acknowledged that countries like Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Greece pushed through reforms in the 2010s that are now paying off.

Still, he argued that financial markets are changing. He said investors are increasingly nervous about the U.S. dollar. According to Macron, they are searching for alternatives.

He said democratic rule of law is a huge attraction for investors. He contrasted Europe with what he called China’s authoritarian system. He also said the U.S. is distancing itself further from a strict state-of-law model.

Macron painted Europe as standing alone — but not weak. He pointed to the EU’s 450 million citizens. He said that scale gives Europe enormous potential power.

For him, becoming a power is the fulfilment of the European project. Europe came together to stop war and build a market. But, he said, it always avoided thinking in terms of power.

He also warned against complacency in relations with Washington. Asked about the recent Greenland stand-off, he urged Europeans not to be fooled. Even if the U.S. appears to back down, he said, the pressure does not truly disappear.

“Don’t believe it for a single second,” Macron said. His message was blunt. Europe must stop sighing with relief — and start preparing for a tougher world.

Key Takeaways

• Macron says Europe faces a global wake-up call from China, Russia, and the U.S.

• He urges massive shared EU borrowing to fund defence, energy, and AI.

• He warns Europe cannot rely on Washington and must act as a true power.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce8n1zdnpd3o

6 minutes ago, bannork said:

French President Emmanuel Macron has fired a dramatic warning to Europe, urging the continent to step up and start acting like a global power. He said Europe faces a stark “wake-up call” from rising threats. China, Russia, and even the United States are all reshaping the world order.

Speaking to a group of European newspapers, Macron said the moment for hesitation is over. He challenged Europe to decide whether it is ready to become a true power. He said the test spans the economy, defence, security, and democratic systems.

His comments come just days before an EU summit in Brussels later this week. The timing is no accident. Macron is clearly pushing leaders to confront what he sees as a dangerous new reality.

In past decades, Europe relied on others for stability. The United States was seen as a permanent security guarantor. Russia was once a source of cheap energy.

Macron said that era is over. Russia stopped being a reliable energy partner three years ago. The U.S., he warned, is no longer certain to guarantee Europe’s security.

China, meanwhile, has become an ever more aggressive rival. Macron said the global order is sliding into disorder. Climate change is accelerating and geopolitical tensions are rising.

At the heart of his pitch is money — and a lot of it. Macron repeated his call for EU-wide mutualised loans. He wants to raise hundreds of billions of euros for industrial investment.

He said it is time for shared European debt. He described it as “eurobonds for the future.” The goal is to fund massive projects that would shape Europe’s long-term strength.

Macron said Europe needs around €1.2 trillion a year. That money would go into defence, security, clean energy, and artificial intelligence. He called these sectors vital to Europe’s survival and influence.

He also argued Europe must protect its industries. The U.S. and China already do, he said. Europe, by contrast, is the most open market in the world.

Macron insisted he is not calling for protectionism. Instead, he wants coherence. He said Europe should not impose strict rules on its own producers that it does not apply to non-European rivals.

Not everyone is convinced. Germany and other countries have long been sceptical of shared EU debt. They fear France is trying to shift financial burdens it cannot carry alone.

Macron admitted France has struggled with reform. He said France never had a balanced model like some northern economies. He also acknowledged that countries like Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Greece pushed through reforms in the 2010s that are now paying off.

Still, he argued that financial markets are changing. He said investors are increasingly nervous about the U.S. dollar. According to Macron, they are searching for alternatives.

He said democratic rule of law is a huge attraction for investors. He contrasted Europe with what he called China’s authoritarian system. He also said the U.S. is distancing itself further from a strict state-of-law model.

Macron painted Europe as standing alone — but not weak. He pointed to the EU’s 450 million citizens. He said that scale gives Europe enormous potential power.

For him, becoming a power is the fulfilment of the European project. Europe came together to stop war and build a market. But, he said, it always avoided thinking in terms of power.

He also warned against complacency in relations with Washington. Asked about the recent Greenland stand-off, he urged Europeans not to be fooled. Even if the U.S. appears to back down, he said, the pressure does not truly disappear.

“Don’t believe it for a single second,” Macron said. His message was blunt. Europe must stop sighing with relief — and start preparing for a tougher world.

Key Takeaways

• Macron says Europe faces a global wake-up call from China, Russia, and the U.S.

• He urges massive shared EU borrowing to fund defence, energy, and AI.

• He warns Europe cannot rely on Washington and must act as a true power.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce8n1zdnpd3o

His main goal is "European Mutualised Loans". In other words: Europe will be held responsible for the uncurable financial situation of France. The rest is blah blah blah...........

15 minutes ago, swissie said:

His main goal is "European Mutualised Loans". In other words: Europe will be held responsible for the uncurable financial situation of France. The rest is blah blah blah...........

France can't afford anything. They spend 14.2% of their GDP on pensions. Europe is going to collapse with the welfare state.

2 hours ago, TedG said:

France can't afford anything. They spend 14.2% of their GDP on pensions. Europe is going to collapse with the welfare state.

France

Key details regarding France's pension expenditure include:

• Regional Comparison: Within the European Union, France's spending as a percentage of GDP is only surpassed by Italy (approx. 15.5%) and Greece (approx. 14.3–16.4%).

• Budgetary Impact: Pensions consume about one-quarter of France’s total public spending.

• System Generosity: The high cost is driven by a relatively early retirement age (62–64) and high replacement rates, where state pensions replace about 58% of pre-retirement income on average, compared to just 22% in the UK.

• Sustainability Concerns: Projections from the French Pensions Advisory Council suggest that without further reform, the system faces persistent deficits that could reach up to 1.3% of GDP by 2050 due to an ageing population.

  how much of france's gdp goes on pensions? - Google Search

Oh, to be pensioner in France!

9 minutes ago, bannork said:

Oh, to be pensioner in France!

Check out this: French retirees over age 65 now have average incomes approximately 1% to 2% higher than working-age citizens

. This rare economic phenomenon, making France a unique developed nation in this regard, stems from a generous, mandatory state system that provides high income replacement rates (around 74%) for pensioners. 

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2025/dec/29/pensions-timebomb-europe-social-contract-becoming-unsustainable#:~:text=Patricia/Abaca/Shutterstock-,France,mass%20political%20unrest%20of%201968.

3 hours ago, bannork said:

At the heart of his pitch is money

Its always about the money.