Spotlight: Macron's appeal for European renewal draws mixed reactions

PARIS, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Will French President Emmanuel Macron's recipe for a "European Renaissance" bode well? Can his project of a new Europe based on greater integration tread water on the nationalists' momentum ahead of a "decisive" EU ballot?

In a newspaper column published in each of the 28 member states on Tuesday, Macron wrote: "Never since the Second World War has Europe been so essential. Yet never has Europe been in such danger."

"In a few weeks' time, the European elections will be decisive for the future of our continent," he stressed, sounding the alarm bell on "nationalist retrenchment", which according to him "offers nothing."

Instead, "I propose we build this renewal together around three ambitions: freedom, protection and progress," he wrote, pledging that "In this Europe, the peoples will really take back control of their future."

WINNING SUPPORT FROM European LEADERS

Macron's proposals were welcomed by some European leaders. Some others gave their polite support.

"The renaissance of Europe must start now," European Council President Donald Tusk tweeted.

"I agree with Emmanuel Macron. Do not allow external anti-European forces to influence our elections and decide on key priorities and new leadership of EU. All those who care about EU should cooperate during and after the EP elections," he said.

German Justice Minister Katarina Barley thanked the French head of state for his European project. Barley is the German Social Democrats' top candidate in the European election.

"Dear Emmanuel Macron, thank you for this initiative. We need to come together as Europeans and make Europe strong," Barley wrote in French on Twitter.

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel expressed his support for Macron's "proposals for a new impetus for the European project."

"This could mark the beginning of a serious European debate," Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in a statement. "In the details, of course, we have differences of views."

The Hungarian government disagreed with Macron over immigration. Macron "believes immigration is good. We believe it is bad", the Hungarian government said in a statement.

MIXED REACTIONS AT HOME

In France, reactions to Macron's letter have been mixed.

Speaking to the local broadcaster Europe 1, Richard Ferrand, president of the French National Assembly, hailed the initiative that aimed "to put Europe on the move".

Macron "is embodying what France wants for Europe ... The populists want less Europe, we want a better Europe, that's the difference. We need ... more Europe in real life," he said.

Macron's plan includes the creation of a "European Agency for the Protection of Democracies, which will provide each member state with European experts to protect their election process against cyber attacks and manipulation".

He also proposes banning the funding of European political parties by foreign powers, and says that "we need to rethink the Schengen area" and create a "common border force and a European asylum office".

In the letter, Macron calls on the EU to set a zero carbon target by 2050; introduce a minimum European wage; and ban in Europe businesses that "compromise our strategic interests and fundamental values".

Furthermore, the French head of state calls on the European institutions and states to set up a "Conference for Europe" by year-end to propose all necessary changes to the bloc's political project.

President Macron "speaks about protecting our continent. And he does not say anything about massive immigration? Nothing on Islamism? As always, we talk, difficult subjects are hidden and nothing changes," commented Laurent Wauquiez, head of the conservative Les Republicans party.

In an interview with RMC radio, Sebastien Chenu, spokesman of the anti-Europe National Rally party, denounced the president's suggestion related to migration.

He "is proposing that our migration policy should be decided in Brussels. For us, immigration control is fundamentally a national policy," he said.

"With this project, Macron shows that he is a candidate of the Republic on the Move party (LREM) in the European election ... As president of the Republic, he should be above all that," he added.

Fueled by the persistent migration crisis and economic woes, fears that such views could dominate the European Parliament election may challenge Macron's "European renaissance" proposal.

According to public opinion polls, the French president's La Republique En Marche (LREM) party is back ahead of its far-right contenders in voting intentions. But a political earthquake triggered by unprecedented support for the nationalists remains on the cards.

"Even if the surveys are not bad for the LREM, which is always projected in the lead, Emmanuel Macron still needs to reboot his speech. He must find a dynamic campaign and ... address all those who tomorrow could be his allies in the European Parliament," political analyst Olivier Bost said on RTL radio. Enditem