Few in France will have been as devastated by their team’s defeat in last night’s World Cup semi-final as Emmanuel Macron. The president put on a brave face, tweeting his congratulations to Spain and thanking the French team “for carrying our colors with commitment.”
But how Macron must have dreamed of a French World Cup triumph in Sunday’s final. He would have been in New Jersey – as he was in Moscow in 2018 when the Bleus won the World Cup –dancing a jig as his bête noire, Donald Trump, presented the trophy to his boys.
Macron’s presidency is ending with a whimper
In a sense the French football team are a metaphor for Macron’s presidency. They won the World Cup in 2018 playing football that sparkled with panache and passion, which was how Macron was still seen by most of the country.
Against Spain last night there was no panache and passion from France. They were eliminated with barely a whimper. And that is how Macron’s presidency is ending.
A poll at the start of this month revealed that only 23 percent of the French have confidence in Emmanuel Macron to tackle the problems facing the country.
Since he came to power in 2017 Macron’s priority has always been Europe. In his first major speech, at the Sorbonne in September that year, Macron declared: “The only way to guarantee our future is to re-establish a sovereign, united and democratic Europe.”
That has been his obsession ever since. On Monday he gave his last address to the armed forces, a presidential tradition on the eve of July 14, Bastille Day. His critics noted that he mentioned Europe more than France (19 references to 18). He praised the “the ability of Europeans to take control of their own destiny and take charge of their own security, bringing together so many European nations.”
Macron also used the speech to take a swipe at Marine Le Pen’s National Rally who continue to ride high in the polls. “Wherever nationalism is pandered to, whether in France or elsewhere, we are misunderstanding our own history,” he said. “Patriotism, yes; nationalism, never.”
Those remarks were similar to comments made by Britain’s premier Keir Starmer in the summer of 2024. “We should be alive in the UK to the challenge of the far right and populism and nationalism,” he said, pointing to what is “happening in other European countries, including in France and in Germany.”
Starmer made his comments in a joint press conference with Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Scholz was forced out of office a few months later having lost the confidence of his country. Now it is Starmer’s turn to clear his desk.
He won’t be missed, except perhaps by Emmanuel Macron. The pair have been firm friends ever since Starmer visited the Élysée in 2023 for what were described as “warm and engaging” talks.
According to Macron’s office, they discussed the “importance of reinforcement cooperation between France and the UK so this partnership continues to bring prosperity and security to the French and British.”
How has that worked out? Both countries are ravaged by insecurity, unable or rather unwilling to control their borders, with one result a sharp rise in crimes of a sexual nature.
As for prosperity, last month France’s public debt passed the €3.5 trillion ($4 trillion) mark – 117.5 percent of GDP and it shows no signing of slowing. Unemployment is rising and living standards are falling. The outlook is just as grim in Britain. The country borrowed £23.3 billion ($31 billion) in May, almost a third up on the same month last year, and economists warned that “public finances are fragile.”
But none of this much bothers Macron or Starmer because it’s Europe that counts. This week the president awarded Starmer the Legion d’honneur. It is the first time a serving British prime minister has received France’s top honor.
Macron thanked Starmer for his commitment to “the security of Europe, Ukraine, the bilateral relationship.” He added: “I wanted to reiterate my gratitude and the gratitude of the French people, obviously for your years as prime minister…all the human qualities that we learn to appreciate, all those remain very important to all of us. We found with you a very reliable and friendly partner.”
At least someone finds Starmer reliable. His successor, Andy Burnham, has promised an “even closer relationship” with Europe. Not with France. Macron will be gone in nine months and the polls indicate he will be replaced by either Marine Le Pen or Jean-Luc Melenchon.
Bonne chance, Burnham
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