Macron demands greater European independence in wide-ranging speech

French President Emmanuel Macron has called on Europe to take steps towards greater independence, economic strength and dealing with its own security.

In the face of military threats, industrial competition from the United States and China and a questioning of democracy, Europe must expand its sovereignty, defend its values and protect its interests and markets, Macron said in a speech in Paris on Thursday.

"We must realize today that our Europe is mortal, it can die," Macron told an audience at the Sorbonne University.

"It depends solely on our choices, but these choices must be made now."

In the next decade, there is a great risk that Europe will be "weakened or even declassified," added Macron. "We are at a turning point."

Specifically, Macron called for a European defence strategy with a common defence industry financed by EU funds in order to deal with the threat posed by Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.

Trade policy must also be reconsidered in view of massive subsidies given by China and the US to their own industries, he added, with European products being favoured in key EU technologies.

More research and development is needed to tackle issues such as climate change and the rise of artificial intelligence, Macron said, while he also demanded the EU take on joint debt and accelerate a planned capital market union.

Macron's speech in the run-up to June's European elections comes almost seven years after his first speech on Europe, with his ambitious vision for a sovereign EU back then causing a stir.

Responding to the speech, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz later said he supported in principle the measures proposed by Macron.

The common goal of France and Germany is "that Europe remains strong," Scholz said.

"Your speech contains good ideas on how we can achieve this,” Scholz added in the post to the social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

"Together we will move the EU forward: politically and economically," said Scholz.