Macron highlights priorities for French Presidency of EU

French President Emmanuel Macron outlined the priorities over the next six months. Macron will be focused on clear wins that demonstrate that the European Union serves French interests in a way that magnifies, rather than diminishes sovereignty. As the most europhile candidate in forthcoming presidential elections, this will be part of his case for a second term in office. 

He highlighted employment, a European minimum wage and gender issues as key points for upcoming legislation. Macron spoke about improving working conditions and salaries for Europeans. He also spoke about giving more rights to people who work through digital labor platforms, such as Uber and Deliveroo, a process which was started at the end of last year and commonly referred to as the “gig economy”. 

He highlighted women’s rights issues as a focus for the administration. He advocated for adding the right to abortion to the European Charter of Fundamental Rights, a controversial view, that has previously seen as a matter for national governments. The issues of equal pay for men and women as well as more equal corporate representation were also brought up as pressing concerns for the next months. 

Other issues of importance included challenges pertaining to climate, a minimum global tax rate, further steps towards banking union, digital integration and security. He noted that Europe must be able to defend its borders and promote stability, regardless of other international factors, an issue that has become increasingly apparent with threats from Russia. 

“The French Presidency will be one which promotes the values which are ours,” Macron said to the European Parliament in Strasbourg. “We are discovering again how the rule of law and democracy can be made fragile… But I am here to tell you how the last few months have shown  the management of the pandemic by democracies… has led to decisions which have been taken which have protected our lives.”

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