France’s presidency of the EU ends on June 30 with Emmanuel Macron’s new big idea, a “European Political Community”, hanging in the balance. This community would encompass EU membership candidates like Ukraine and possibly ex-member Britain. For some observers, the French president’s idea offers a way to bring countries into the European project while the long accession process takes its course. Others argue that Macron’s plan offers few clear objectives.
EU leaders discussed – but did not advance – Macron’s vision for this new European structure at their summit in Brussels on Thursday, which capped France’s six-month presidency of the EU.
