Macron’s new Europe, a political minefield

of Athena Papakosta

On May 9, on “Europe Day”, Emmanuel Macron addressed the European Parliament in Strasbourg. In this speech he shared the following idea: the formation of “European Political Community» in order for the European states – those inside, but also those outside the European Union – to come closer.

Despite the skepticism of many, on Thursday, 44 heads of state from the Caucasus to the Black Sea and the Mediterranean met in Prague.

Among them were those who wish to be members of the Union, such as Ukraine and the Moldovaand those who chose to leave it, such as Britain. Of course, the Russia and the Belarus was not on the invite list, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky participated in the meeting via video.

The European Political Community does not replace existing organisations. As noted on the website of the European Council, its mission is to promote political dialogue. One could say that it is more like a diplomatic forum than an organization.

Like the G7, but without the press releases. Its purpose is to strengthen and promote collaborations between its members, but on a voluntary basis.

Also, the aim is to give a voice to the wider Europe, especially that which is (also) under the sphere of influence of Moscow and Beijing. The key to all of the above, however, and in the face of challenges, is unity.

This is not a new idea. Thirty-two years ago, and while the Wall had already fallen, the former president of France, Francois Mitterrand, had formulated the idea of ​​a European political confederation. Such a thing did not happen then. But today, due to the war in Ukraine, the facts have changed and the first Synod is now a fact.

The bet of the Synod and the… mines

In the midst of the ongoing energy war declared by Russia against the Union, the “present” in Prague was given Norway and Azerbaijan.

Both countries are huge producers of natural gas and oil. So, a French official was commenting that in view of the winter that their presence is an opportunity and not just an opportunity for (yet) a photo click of leaders. The timing couldn’t be more appropriate. It has preceded the Saudi Arabia’s “gift” to Moscow through OPEC+ to reduce daily oil production by 2 million barrels.

The New York Times notes that the invitation that US President Joe Biden did not receive could be characterized as a mild provocation.

However, beyond the obvious “European”… Political Community, French President Macron is worried that the European Union will go down in history as a spectator to the war, when, in fact, it is happening on its doorstep, or as the NYT’s Roger Cohen writes , the “EU will fail to control its destiny in the 21st century” adding that the United States is energy independent while the EU is not.

Therefore, they do not experience this war in the same way.

Of course, there are the skeptics like Politico which plays with symbolism and wonders why the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, should be invited to Prague. Why is he being offered a seat at the negotiating table while turning a blind eye to Russia and at the same time intensifying his threats against Greece, which is also a Member State of the Union?

Even the invitation to the British Prime Minister, Liz Truss, is not missing from the magnifying glass of questioning and doubts. Britain was in the EU and in 2016 became the first Member State to decide to leave it. As Politico notes, a chance is given to a… former to take his post-Brexit message inside the Union by showing Eurosceptics the way to… exit.

Friends and enemies at the same table

The European Political Community of Macron – and now of all the participants allowed in Prague – where in 1968 tanks of the “Warsaw Pact” invaded – to coexist in the same place “enemy leaders”, such as Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia with Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, the “leaders – part of the violent past of the Balkan region” Viosa Osmani of Kosovo and Aleksandar Vucic of Serbia, but also the “eternal” enemies Greece and Turkey.

It also provided an opportunity for leaders from Iceland to Azerbaijan, with different agendas and… personalities, to meet and talk while, together, belonging to the same roof in the midst of crisis and challenges.

Whether Macron’s brainchild will last, time will tell, whether it will damage the EU by weakening it, too. But it could open up opportunities either on a political, economic or even social level. But everything will depend on the rules of the game of the “27” of the Union and their 17 neighbors in a geopolitical debut of delicate balances. For now, the reason for the European Council which can take decisions (as opposed to the European Political Community) and which should have taken them… yesterday.

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