Even if Eurosceptic candidates do not win the presidential elections in France, the threat of the collapse of the EU will not go away.
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This opinion was expressed in an opinion column published on the pages of the Kyiv magazine “New Time” by Richard Haas, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, a private organization that has a powerful influence on US foreign policy.
“Until recently, it was difficult to imagine, but now the main threat to Europe is not only Putin’s Russia, but also France. The worst outcome of the upcoming presidential elections is the exit of Paris from the EU and the collapse of the entire union,” the author laments.
He points out that two of the four top-rated candidates, National Front leader Marine Le Pen and left-wing politician Jean-Luc Mélenchon, “support policies that are far from European.”
“So their victory in the upcoming vote on May 7 could mean the end of France's membership of the EU and NATO. In this case, all of Europe will face an existential question. Until recently, it was difficult to imagine such a scenario. For so many years, Europe remained the most successful, stable and predictable region, a place where it would seem that history had almost stopped. And peace - the key goal of creating the EU - has been achieved.
But radical changes have occurred. And Russia's willingness to use military force, demonstrated by Vladimir Putin, as well as his cyber manipulation to advance his own agenda, is just one factor in the changes. Europe is further challenged by its own politicians, who are increasingly questioning the EU’s values,” continues Haas.
At the same time, he admits that the problems did not arise out of nowhere and points out that “the European project has lost its significance for the citizens themselves, and state institutions have become too elitist, “not taking into account the national identity to which Europeans are still attached.”
“The failure to create a monetary union without a financial partner made the situation worse. Bureaucrats have taken on an impossible task. In France, and as a result throughout Europe, populists and radical candidates of the right and left emerged. And even if not one of them wins in France, much will remain uncertain. The current crisis will pass, but in the long term the problem will remain,” predicts a resident of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Let us note that according to the results of the first round, according to the French Ministry of Internal Affairs, Macron became the winner, gaining 23,75% of the votes. Le Pen comes in second place with 21%. Fillon received 53% of the votes, while the left candidate Mélenchon received 19,91%. Thus, the fate of the presidency will be decided in the second round, which will take place on May 19,64.
Read also: France admitted that Le Pen can win in the second round.