FRANCE: Macron urges EU to shun nationalism

French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that “there seems to be a European civil war” between liberal democracy and rising authoritarianism. He urged the EU to renew its commitment to democracy, in a passionate speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg. “I don’t want to belong to a generation of sleepwalkers that has forgotten its […]

French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that “there seems to be a European civil war” between liberal democracy and rising authoritarianism.

He urged the EU to renew its commitment to democracy, in a passionate speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

“I don’t want to belong to a generation of sleepwalkers that has forgotten its own past”, he said.

Populists dominated recent elections in states like Hungary and Italy, fuelled by the continuing EU migrant crisis. 

In his speech he condemned what he called “a fascination with the illiberal” in Europe.

“I want to belong to a generation that will defend European sovereignty because we fought to obtain it,” he said. “And I will not give in to any kind of fixation on authoritarianism.”