Euronews Debates: What does Macron’s second term mean for Europe?

03.05.2022

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As the euphoria from his victorious re-election fades away, French President Emmanuel Macron is coming to terms with the enormous challenges he faces not only at home but abroad.

The European Union is in the midst of a geopolitical confrontation with Russia over Ukraine, a conflict that is seen as an existential threat to liberal democracy and the European values.

Besides dealing with a war next door, the EU is battling a series of pressing challenges with no easy answers: a post-pandemic recovery, a costly energy transition, a quest for digital relevance and a nascent defence union are among the top priorities for the 27 member states.

With Angela Merkel out of the picture, Macron is favoured to enjoy an even more prominent and influential voice around the EU table.

So what is Brussels expecting from the French leader?

In partnership with Debating Europe, Euronews gathered five Members of the European Parliament to discuss what the president’s second term might mean for the EU’s immediate future.

Moderated by Stefan Grobe, the debate featured MEPs Véronique Trillet-Lenoir (Renew Europe, France), Petros Kokkalis (The Left, Greece), Delara Burkhardt (S&D, Germany), Witold Waszczykowski (ECR, Poland) and Marco Campomenosi (ID, Italy).

Watch the video above to find out what the MEPs expect from Emmanuel Macron.