Espace : Emmanuel Macron plaide pour une gouvernance partagée et une Europe « puissante »

Emmanuel Macron is determined to impose his vision on European digital policies, despite setbacks. In an effort to set a European framework for safeguarding minors on social media platforms, Macron penned a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on August 29th. He urged her to set the minimum age for accessing platforms at 15 years old.

Von der Leyen is set to announce this initiative in her State of the Union speech, scheduled for September 16th, which will reportedly include a ban on social media for children under 13 - a threshold that neither the Élysée Palace nor the French executive finds satisfactory. In response, the Élysée held an urgent media briefing on Tuesday to emphasize the President's commitment to a "firm European framework" to back the domestic effort on banning social media for under-15s.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister's Office teams are drafting a new bill to be adopted before the spring, but are on standby to adjust it according to von der Leyen's upcoming statements. Sources indicate that the new French legislation could be aligned with the European vision if von der Leyen outlines her plan. However, significant challenges remain, including reconciling the proposal with both French constitutional and European law.

The Constitutional Council, in its August 14th opinion, acknowledged the need to limit access for children's "best interest" but requested clearer delineation of prohibited functionalities, typically a role for the European Commission under the Digital Services Act. The government can still propose a compliant French text, but must navigate negotiations with the EU over community law compliance.

Furthermore, the process could face resistance from the far-right National Rally, should it vote against the bill to avoid alienating certain voters. The government also has the option to use Senator Catherine Morin-Desailly's bill, which has already passed the Senate and could accommodate the new measure. Despite these hurdles, Macron remains hopeful for alignment, requesting von der Leyen's teams to prepare and provide expertise on the new text at their earliest convenience.