Europeans 2024: a stolen ballot

After the breakthrough of the National Rally (RN) in the European elections last week, on the newsstands, the front page of Franc-Tireur magazine displayed “RN: the European hold-up”. Whatever analysis we make of it, it is indeed a hold-up that we have witnessed: that of a vote that was nevertheless presented to us as decisive in a world in great crisis.

During the pugilism of the electoral evening of June 9, the dissolution of the National Assembly announced by Emmanuel Macron accentuated what we had already anticipated: internal politics made the European issue invisible. Almost forgotten, these elections organized in 27 countries and conditioning our ability to react together to global warming or hybrid wars in Europe and the Middle East, etc. Omnipresent, the Macronian strategy, the Bardella phenomenon, the old programs, the recomposition of alliances.

“Europe can die”, launched Emmanuel Macron. The President shocked by mentioning a possible sending of non-combatant units to Ukraine. Taking advantage of the 80th anniversary of the Landings, he has multiplied historical reminders and warnings about the danger of not supporting Ukraine militarily.

But public opinion seems to reject a reality that is too distressing, in a sort of denial. At the National Rally, but not only, the enemy in the east of Europe is minimized. In the RN, the enemies are rather the migrant, globalization and the European Union, the scapegoat for daily difficulties. Same thing also in Germany and other European countries where the far right is making progress. While Russian troll factories and other vectors of disinformation know perfectly well how to maneuver pro-Kremlin circles from Budapest to Sofia, from Vienna to Paris, the pro-Russian media feed Euroscepticism.

Europeans have sadly forgotten what they owe to Europe. The withdrawal into national and community borders reassures them, as they are haunted by “decline”. With 131 deputies in the European Parliament, far-right families can, united, become its third force. Vladimir Putin has every interest in a weak and divided Europe.