Prime Minister heads to the United States
Anthony Albanese is heading the United States today aiming to push Australia's policies on global technology.
French presidential hopeful Gabriel Attal pledged to construct a "United States of Europe" during a speech on Thursday, outlining an ambitious pro-European platform for his campaign. He declared, "The great mission of my generation is to realize the European dream and to give birth to the United States of Europe," echoing the words of Victor Hugo.
Attal, drawing from the proposals of Mario Draghi and Enrico Letta, suggested implementing a two-speed EU, allowing like-minded partners to quickly merge their economies, regulatory frameworks and labor and capital via a new treaty approved by citizens through referendum. He also advocated for joint European debt, reduced trade barriers, and encouraged bloc-wide mergers, particularly in telecoms and financial services.
Attal's advisers told reporters that he aims to position himself as one of the most pro-European options amid a competitive field of candidates. The 37-year-old centrist has been struggling to gain traction, with polls consistently placing him behind his main rival, Edouard Philippe, and euroskeptic front-runner Marine Le Pen. However, Philippe has remained relatively silent on EU matters, creating an opening for Attal to differentiate his campaign.
Despite France's generally favorable views towards the bloc, many remain cautious due to EU trade deals and perceived environmental regulations. Attal praised Macron's European legacy while criticizing the European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, for her perceived lack of concern for the bloc's issues in her recent State of the Union address.
He also criticized the trade deal signed by von der Leyen with US President Donald Trump. If elected, Attal's romantic partner, Industry Commissioner Stéphane Séjourné, would be subject to a potential conflict of interest, as per Séjourné's oath to prioritize EU interests over national matters. Séjourné suggested that the situation could be viewed as "legitimate" and that Attal's campaign director, Maxime Cordier, had plans to garner support from MEPs for his proposed reforms.
Written by urgent.news from Politico EU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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