Europe correspondent Stefan de Vries saw a “genuinely deep bond” between France and the Netherlands, which he hadn’t seen for twenty years. Yesterday evening, French President Emmanuel Macron concluded his Dutch state visit to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
At the time, De Vries lived alternately in the Netherlands and France and saw that the two countries had never been so attracted to each other as they were yesterday afternoon. “It was an interesting moment.”
According to De Vries, Rutte and Macron rely on each other now that leadership changes have taken place in many European countries. “The board has changed, but these two pieces have remained. Now they are being pushed together to find an answer to that changing chessboard.’
Reinforcement band
Originally, the Franco-German axis always formed the core of the European Union, but De Vries sees this change. ‘It became a trio. Macron and Rutte do not get along very well with Olaf Scholz: it is not clear in which direction Germany is heading. That Franco-German axis still exists, but Holland is starting to play a role in it».
De Vries has already seen the relationship between Holland and France improve since Macron took office. «It was May 2017. In June Rutte visited the Elysée for the first time. Since then, the two have developed a great bond.’
The countries held a joint cabinet meeting at the Rijksmuseum last night. De Vries sees this as an example of that bond being strengthened. ‘Eight French ministers have come to consult with their Dutch counterparts for the second time. This is very special: France has already done it from time to time with Germany and Italy, and Holland is now part of it”.
Criticism
On Tuesday, Macron explained his vision for the future of Europe in a speech in The Hague. Shortly before, his remark about the European role in the conflict between China and Taiwan could count on a lot of criticism.
‘Macron is one of the few European heads of government with a vision, with a plan’
“The worst thing would be to think that we Europeans have to be pioneers on this point and adapt to an American pace and a Chinese overreaction,” he said during a visit to Beijing. According to Macron it would be “a trap for Europe” to get caught up in crises “that are not ours”.
Employee
“He is one of the few European heads of government with a vision, with a plan,” concludes De Vries. ‘He thinks we depend too much on the US for defense and on China for a lot of technology and raw materials. We have to develop it ourselves, says Macron.’
This view is also increasingly embraced in the Netherlands, notes De Vries. ‘The concept of strategic autonomy is now also included in the Dutch coalition agreement. Rutte and the Dutch government fully embrace this.’
During this state visit, De Vries saw the Netherlands and France “really take the lead in the European Union”. “Where they end up remains to be seen. But they are clearly taking the lead.”
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
