During a state visit to Germany ahead of key EU elections, French President Emmanuel Macron issued a warning about the rise of the far right in European politics. Macron criticized the “fascination with authoritarian regimes” and singled out Viktor Orban’s government in Hungary. He emphasized the need to defend democracy against nationalist forces and highlighted the threat posed by Russian aggression.
Macron’s trip comes as polls indicate his centrist coalition is trailing behind the far right in the upcoming European Union elections. He stressed the importance of upholding European values and unity to ensure peace and security in the region. Macron also visited the Holocaust memorial in Berlin with the German presidential couple and Nazi hunters Serge and Beate Klarsfeld.
The French president labeled Marine Le Pen’s National Rally as a “threat to Europe” and emphasized the importance of confronting crimes committed under the Nazis. Macron will receive the Westphalian Peace Prize and hold a joint Franco-German meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz.