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Bring back strength to the “European Idea”

French Consul General Vincent Muller from Düsseldorf, who is also chairman of the Düsseldorf Institut Français, recently gave a passionate presentation, marked by a dash of humor, in Bonn about the current development perspective using a quote from French President Macron: “Vision of a new Europe and the refounding of the European project.” (This quote is taken from a memorandum that outlined the reasons why President Macron has been chosen as candidate to receive the Charlemagne Prize in the city of Aachen in May 2018).

Photo: French Consul General Muller at the Mid Atlantic Club Bonn

French Consul General Muller at the Mid Atlantic Club Bonn in April 2018

At a Mid Atlantic Club Bonn event on 11.04.18, the French Consul General Muller gave a presentation about the crisis which the world is currently facing and expanded upon his view of a future Europe. In the midst of such a crisis, Muller emphasized "the European idea must regain strength” and that the European states must stand together. With over thirty years in the French Foreign Service, Muller also acquired experience as part of the planning staff of the Franco-German cooperation and by serving 5 years as an official in the permanent representation at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. On the basis of his interest in history, geopolitics and European culture, Muller, who was born in Strasbourg, gave an interesting insight into the present political situation. In a typical “Alsatian” style he described the particular social and psychological sensitivities of both the French and Germans and underlined the importance of engaging in direct discussion with the “citizens of both countries”, in order to discuss the “big issues” and not only the small ones with them. “The world is no longer as it was in 1945” - one only needs to look at the structure of the UN Security Council with India and Brazil having become important players on the world stage yet have no permanent representation, Muller stated. The European Union, in order to shape history, should be “welded together”, especially after the U.K.'s decision to leave the EU.

 

in light of the commemoration of the end of the First World War, there is a special responsibility to discuss the outlook for Europe.

Muller made reference to current major trouble spots and, referring to the way in which Russia is dealing with Ukraine, suggested that this would take several more years and maybe even decades to resolve. He compared the situation to a “decolonization process” - something with which France itself has plenty of experience. During its own decolonization period, Muller conceded that France made mistakes with regard to some political decisions and that as a consequence of its approach at times to certain African states “we should put dust and ashes on our heads”.

He underlined that in this “Year of Debate” (2018) about the future of Europe and in light of the commemoration of the end of the First World War, there is a special responsibility to discuss the outlook for Europe. This would be also important in light of the upcoming European elections next year, “the Year of Decision”.

The present hot spots in the Middle East, Syria, and the involvement of various actors, including Saudi Arabia and Iran in the form of proxy wars, underline dramatically the challenges we are going to face.  In addition, the conflict over water between Egypt and Ethiopia, the situation in Central Asia, Russia, China, Turkey, Iran, Kazakhstan and the conflicts in the Caucasus demand an effective creative will from the side of the Europeans in order to shape the future: “We cannot just be reactive, we must be proactive” in defining our political initiatives.

Last but not least, the lines of conflict in the South China Sea with the strategic positioning of China are of further importance. What role will the “One Belt, One Road” project - in which China is engaged with great intensity - play in the future? All these issues are, according to Muller, questions, that “we as Europeans have to face”.

 

PESCO

Consul General Muller also talked at length about the need for joint European defense efforts and the importance of “Structured Cooperation” (PESCO) that was adopted last year. What he perceives is that amongst the German population, there is strong resistance to supporting the necessary defense and armament efforts. He referred to surveys reporting that 60% reject additional defense spending (“..one of the reasons a German President resigned several years ago.”). Yet PESCO is also concerned with the development of defense technology and the question of “interoperability” whereby not every country has military technical devices which are compatible with those in other countries. And it also has to with industrial policy. In an emergency, one cannot always say, “now we will buy our defense equipment from the Americans.” (In a remarkable speech at the Berlin Humboldt University towards the start of his presidential campaign in January 2017, President Macron had already presented his ideas for a renewal of Europe. On the relationship between sovereignty and security, he used the following quote: ‘Ensuring external security [...] is a prerequisite and the core of all state' sovereignty. This pertains to the EU which is a community of states in the sense that it can maintain its sovereignty only by the community.” (Macron had taken this quote from a 1994 Schäuble/Lamers document.)

 

Muller emphasized the need for the “refounding of a sovereign, united and democratic Europe”

Muller emphasized the need for the “refounding of a sovereign, united and democratic Europe” - which had been also been the subject of President Macron’s three major speeches on Europe, e.g. at the Sorbonne University and in Frankfurt. Yet this would also entail a certain amount of “national sovereignty” being given up and absorbed into a “stronger European sovereignty”. In the subsequent discussion, some participants with professional experience of European structures - including aspects of French behavior and decision making - were quite skeptical about the willingness to give up sovereignty with respect to defense and fiscal policies. However, Consul General Muller, who maintains a regular exchange with young people, will attend some of the accompanying events when the President receives the Charlemagne Prize award in Aachen in May, offered the audience a simple and disarming response: “We must discuss with the citizens of France and you have to discuss these matters with the people of Germany” - we shouldn’t leave the field and the initiative to the nationalist currents. In an interview at the end of last year (RP Online 18.12.17) Muller had commented about the progress of the Franco-German partnership: “I'm an optimist by nature. We will continue to grow together to our mutual benefit.”