France’s Grand Design for Europe and the Elusive Quest for European Sovereignty

Abstract

In the context of the Liberal International Order crisis amplified by
the Trump Administration’s America First doctrine and a retreat of
multilateralism, President Macron was emboldened to carry further his
vision for a Sovereign Europe (Europe-Puissance) capable of ensuring
its own strategic autonomy and acting as an independent actor on
the international stage. However, President Macron faces the task of
articulating a coherent way of achieving this goal, especially giving
Germany’s reluctance to accept any changes in the postwar defense
status quo, and East-Central European anxieties regarding a possible
Russian rapprochement pursued by the French president. Early in
his presidency, Macron proposed his Grand Design for a concentric
and multi-speed Europe with different stages of integration, and
different levels of functioning, a plan which was met with a degree of
unwillingness from East-Central European capitals.