Thread by @tepsaeu

We're live at our debate on the implications of the #FrenchElections on the EU! Join us as we discuss #Macron's win with Christine Roger, Olivier Rozenberg, @O_Omnes, @CCeriseG, and @GDelbosCorfield

Join us on #livestream!➡️

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As always we will be highlighting the best bits here on Twitter, but be sure to go follow the event live on @YouTube 👉

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.@CCeriseG is welcoming our audience, and introducing our prestigious panellists: Christine Roger (@EUCouncil), Olivier Rozenberg (@SciencesPo_CEE), @GDelbosCorfield (@GreensEFA), and @O_Omnes (@MouvEuropeen_Fr). In addition to moderating, @CCeriseG will give her thoughts

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Christine Roger, from the @EUCouncil, will be giving her views in a personal capacity at this debate

She begins her intervention by reaffirming the fact the @Europe2022FR is only 6 months long, and is a collaboration with previous and upcoming Council Presidencies

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"Having been chair of the @EUCouncil for the Presidency of 2008, I know you have to be modest about the capability of your Presidency to steer the EU"

- Christine Roger, @EUCouncil

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"Events happen, as they have, and the #Ukraine situation has given a very 'special twist' to the Presidency, which has acted decisively, quickly, and with action rather than mere words"

- Christine Roger, @EUCouncil

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"Traditionally French themes such as autonomy and resilience are becoming more popular in the wake of the #UkraineWar, giving weight to the priorities of the priorities of the French Presidency"

- Christine Roger, @EUCouncil

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This is the view from Christine Roger, but what does the French Presidency look like from the perspective of @GDelbosCorfield, French MEP from @GreensEFA?

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"The clash of the #Presidentielles2022 with the French Presidency of the Council was not good from my perspective: in all my areas of focus, I was worried that the campaign would use the Presidency as a campaigning vehicle"

- @GDelbosCorfield MEP (@GreensEFA)

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"#Ukraine was very useful for #Macron domestically, to show the image of a head of government who is responsible and strong. On the EU level it derailed a bit of the agenda of the French Presidency"

- @GDelbosCorfield MEP (@GreensEFA)

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"On the #CoFoE, which could have been threatened by a certain number of people in the Institutions, the French Presidency stood firmly behind it, which was good"

- @GDelbosCorfield MEP (@GreensEFA)

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"What was important for me was that on #Article7 the Presidency did no bow down to #Hungary, and it did not disappoint. But looking forward: will France be an ally on #RuleofLaw? Or will business interests prevail?"

- @GDelbosCorfield MEP (@GreensEFA)

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Did @O_Omnes see much European messaging from the #Macron campaign? "Europe became more present in the campaign as it became clear the #Presidentielles2022 would be a second round of #Macron vs. #LePen"

- @O_Omnes (@MouvEuropeen_Fr)

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"Europe was not the topic it had been in the past, and I would still say that the candidates' position on Europe was not discussed enough between the candidates at the first round"

- @O_Omnes (@MouvEuropeen_Fr)

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"Unless you are a Europe nerd, you wouldn't have seen much #European discussion or debate during the #Presidentielles2022 - this is a shame: Europe was THE topic on which the candidates were all very different to one another"

- @O_Omnes (@MouvEuropeen_Fr)

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"Topics such as the #EUArmy and #Defence were high on the agenda in February and March, but looking at the debates between candidates, it was a shame not to have them discuss their perspectives on Europe. This aspect was really lacking"

- @O_Omnes (@MouvEuropeen_Fr)

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"Ultimately: did we discuss the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union? No! In fact, most people didn't even know this was happening, and most of those who did, didn't really know what it meant!"

- @O_Omnes (@MouvEuropeen_Fr)

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"Regarding most of the issues the candidates addressed, the EU loomed large, whether it is on #Ukraine, on #Energy, on the #CostOfLiving, on #environment"

- Olivier Rozenberg (@SciencesPo_CEE)

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"For so long, the European debate has been rather parochial: I am glad it features more heavily in the public debate nowadays"

- Olivier Rozenberg (@SciencesPo_CEE)

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"In some elements of #LePen's programme, there was room for the boat to be rocked in Europe. Now that the European course of France has been decided at the highest level, we should now look at how this should come to be"

- Christine Roger (@EUCouncil)

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"In the case where there is a greater majority for the left in the legislative elections, we will have a government decided by #Melenchon: I am not so much worried by this as #Macron will still need to be consulted on #Europe policy"

- Olivier Rozenberg (@SciencesPo_CEE)

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"The EU has changed since the #COVID19 crisis: the Recovery and Resilience agenda has had an effect. This isn't to say the EU has become 'Mélenchoniste', but it means there is less room between the EU and the platform of the left"

- Olivier Rozenberg (@GreensEFA)

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"The evolution of #Mélenchon on #Europe is positive, but his plan should still be scrutinised as that of #LePen has been. It is still not that clear in France whether supposedly pro-EU parties are actually pro-EU"

- @GDelbosCorfield MEP (@GreensEFA)

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"There is a certain attitude of French MEPs, and also a bit of #Macron: Europe is useful IF it can be used positively on the French domestic scene"

- @GDelbosCorfield MEP (@GreensEFA)

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"France really likes to shape Europe according to what France thinks should be done"

- @GDelbosCorfield MEP (@GreensEFA) on French attitudes towards the EU

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"It is a difficult moment in France for the left in general, they are trying to find a common platform. There is a discussion between the left parties about how to move forward together on Europe"

- @GDelbosCorfield MEP (@GreensEFA)

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"I am one of the rare French federalists in the EU: French people want some parts of Europe, but not all of it. I think this attitude is a problem, and that if you want to take part in a project, you should take part in all of it"

- @GDelbosCorfield MEP (@GreensEFA)

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"From the outside perspective, it is not clear that within France, #Macron is not considered as the great President that people from outside the country think he is. There is an idealisation of Macron because of his advocacy for Europe"

- @O_Omnes (@MouvEuropeen_Fr)

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"#Europe is only one of the topics you have to deal with as French President: since #Macron became the 'European' French President, there is a perception that Europe is good only if you can afford it: #Macron has made Europe a partisan issue"

- @O_Omnes (@MouvEuropeen_Fr)

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"Politically speaking, at the end of March it was known that all the purely political work of Macron's first term was finished: the possibility of changing both the President and the Prime Minister at the same time made this clear"

- @O_Omnes (@MouvEuropeen_Fr)

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"The @EUCouncil ALWAYS works, which sometimes is difficult for Presidencies to grasp: they work hard for six months and rest, whereas after the six months, we start a new Presidency's work"

- Christine Roger (@EUCouncil)

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"There are still things that need urgent attention: the consequences for the budget of the War in Ukraine, for instance: the French Presidency will need great energy to tackle this properly"

- Christine Roger (@EUCouncil)

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"The issue of #enlargement is also on the table: the French Presidency will have to deal with this as it will land in the Council"

- Christine Roger (@EUCouncil)

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"I think #enlargement will be a complex issue for France: at the end of their Presidency, after their legislative elections. #NorthMacedonia, #Albania, and now #Ukraine, #Moldova, and #Georgia: the enlargement agenda is full"

- @CCeriseG (@AgencEurope)

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"So far the French Presidency has not mentioned the #CoFoE much, which is surprising as the #FutureofEurope is close to the heart of #Macron's European agenda"

- Olivier Rozenberg (@SciencesPo_CEE)

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"I do not think #enlargement will have a big impact on the legislative elections: #Ukraine and #energy in particular will be at the core of the campaigning"

- Olivier Rozenberg (@SciencesPo_CEE)

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"We need to acknowledge that the #CoFoE is a positive thing: we pushed a lot in the @Europarl_EN for citizens' participation, using the example of the French Convention on Climate"

- @GDelbosCorfield MEP (@GreensEFA)

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"Throughout the #CoFoE, the @Europarl_EN has been pushing to support citizens' calls for the #FutureofEurope, and we will have to go on pushing for progressive ideas"

- @GDelbosCorfield MEP (@GreensEFA)

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"I have witnessed a number of Treaty changes over the years: I tend to be more interested in action, and if there is something that comes out of #CoFoE on social matters or the environment, it's a call for action: let's go for it!"

- Christine Roger (@EUCouncil)

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"I'm not convinced people want Treaty changes: they want results!"

- Christine Roger (@EUCouncil)

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"For the coming weeks, #Macron is effectively continuing his campaign in anticipation of the legislative elections, in public messaging and in his policy-making"

- Olivier Rozenberg (@SciencesPo_CEE)

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"Since the #LisbonTreaty, the Council Presidencies have less power in international affairs, so #Macron's work on #Ukraine can really only be focused in his role as French President. From the EU, we have Borrell, VDL, and Michel"

- @CCeriseG (@AgencEurope)

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As a member of @MouvEuropeen_Fr, does @O_Omnes think the French Council Presidency did enough to promote France's involvement in the EU to the public?

"I would have to say no: there was no specific plan implemented in France to increase pedagogy when it comes to Europe"

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"So many developments throughout the French Presidency (#Ukraine being the chief example) have stopped the progress of the Presidency's agenda in its tracks, but their response was indeed the correct one"

- @O_Omnes (@MouvEuropeen_Fr)

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"At home, we need to keep building a European feeling: it is not 'them' and 'us', it is only 'us'"

- @O_Omnes (@MouvEuropeen_Fr)

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"We have to be careful: in the Balkans there is a certain enlargement fatigue. They have been waiting for years, and people are losing hope of ever joining; we should be careful not to have this in our current enlargement talks"

- @CCeriseG (@AgencEurope)

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This closes our event on the ramifications of the #FrenchElections in the EU, thank you to all our panellists: @CCeriseG, Christine Roger, Olivier Rozenberg, @O_Omnes, and @GDelbosCorfield!

/ENDS

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