The French president’s speech to the European Parliament does not bode well.
An editorial by Paweł Lisicki, editor-in-chief of the influential Polish conservative weekly Do Rzeczy, published in the 24 January 2022 issue under the title “‘Wszystko to wróży jak najgorzej’. Macron i polskie złudzenia” (“‘All this does not bode well.’ Macron and the Polish illusions”).
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Anyone who wants to understand the current definition of “European” need only listen to President Emmanuel Macron’s speech to the European Parliament at the start of the French presidency of the EU Council. Alongside the general platitudes and rhetorical padding so typical of contemporary politicians, there was some more substantial content.
“Our European construction is based on three major promises. A promise of democracy that was born on our continent, that has been reinvented, refounded on our continent and revitalised over the last 70 years, a promise of progress, shared by all, and a promise of peace. It has kept its promise for seven decades.” Democracy, progress and peace: does that sound familiar? No doubt it does, because it is the characteristic style of liberal progressives. And as always, these slogans are there to mask hypocrisy and duplicity. This man who speaks of democracy first promised that there would be no mandatory vaccination in France, and then a few months later he transformed his country into a Covid isolation ward. This defender of democracy has proclaimed that “the unvaccinated are not citizens”. I’m just waiting to see him take away their voting rights. In the name of democracy, of course!
But for the moment, this French defender of democracy intends to devote himself to the defence of the rule of law. “The idea that in order to be more effective, the rule of law should be revisited is taking hold”, he said before the European Parliament, but “the end of the rule of law is a sign of the return to authoritarian regimes, to earlier times in our history”. It will be easily noted that although no specific country was mentioned during this speech, the “defence of the rule of law” will undoubtedly concern Poland and Hungary. It’s enough to make a cat laugh. Macron, this pure product of an authoritarian oligarchy, is standing up for democracy. What a tragicomic farce!
