The battle for the Elysee
ECFR is collaborating with De Balie to discuss France’s political future and the impact of the election result on European integration and solidarity
Guests
Susi Dennison, Director, European Power programme, European Council on Foreign Relations
Laurent Chambon, Sociologist and Political Scientist
Hugo Bezombes, Storyteller and Founder ‘Into Europe’
Eliane Gerrits, Live cartoonist
ECFR is partnering with De Balie to bring you this debate. The eyes have been on Emmanuel Macron several times this year. As president of France, he wanted to ‘make life miserable’ for unvaccinated people in his country and he sat down at the negotiating table with Vladimir Putin. Will he remain president after the April elections? How are the cards in Ukraine since the Russian invasion? And what do the election results mean for France, the Netherlands and Europe?
We look back on five years of Marcon and look ahead to the French presidential election in April. How do the French, Dutch and other Europeans view him and the role of France? What are the most important themes for the French who will soon go to the polls, and how can the different candidates convince the voter?
Initially the battle only seemed to be between Marcon (La République en marche!) and Marine Le Pen (Rassemblement National), but now Valérie Pécresse (Les Républicains) and Éric Zemmour (Reconquête) have also joined the fight as candidates. Macron’s biggest competitors are on the right side of the political spectrum. Does that change the course of the social-liberal and pro-Europeans president?
This is a ticketed event in Amsterdam. Please visit De Balie’s website for further information.