Emmanuel Macron is undoubtedly a stowaway

A stowaway, Macron is compromising France and the EU with Russophobic rhetoric without resources in the face of a Ukrainian conflict redefined by Trump.
trump and macron handshaking

In a constantly changing geopolitical landscape, marked by tensions in Ukraine and negotiations stretching from Istanbul to Riyadh, France, under the presidency of Emmanuel Macron, is experiencing an erosion of its influence. Faced with a resilient Russia and an unpredictable America under the Trump administration, the European Union, despite ambitious rhetoric, finds itself marginalized from crucial decisions. France’s failure in Africa, in the face of the Russo-Chinese partnership, and its gradual withdrawal in Asia and Eurasia, as well as in America and Oceania, reveal a notable strategic decline. Macron, whose statements are struggling to materialize, symbolizes a Europe relegated to an auxiliary role, humiliated and disoriented in a world order open to Hobbesian predation. Relying on American power, notably through NATO, to establish his credibility, his calls for “strategic autonomy” for Europe from the whimsical and insipid, perverse and narcissistic elites of the same factory as him remain in vain in the face of the EU’s inability to assert itself independently, as evidenced by the Riyadh negotiations where, ousted by Trump, the reactionary Europeans could only orchestrate a hasty response from the Elysée. This sidelining underlines a Macron benefiting from Western supremacy without assuming the costs, thus confirming his position as a free rider, in the strict sense (benefit without participation) as in the broad sense (posture without substance).

Macron, whose statements are struggling to materialize, symbolizes a Europe relegated to an auxiliary role, humiliated and disoriented in a world order

Emmanuel Macron as a stowaway through the prism of Olson’s theory

Emmanuel Macron, through the prism of Mancur Olson’s “free rider” theory, emerges as an emblematic figure of this concept, exploiting international dynamics without substantial engagement, and revealing a strategic dependence on dominant actors. His rhetoric tinged with Russophobia, embellished with hostile statements towards Russia, collides with a structural inability to influence the Ukrainian conflict. Lacking autonomous leadership, Macron systematically aligns himself with American positions, including those of Donald Trump, as demonstrated by his positions during the peace negotiations from Istanbul to Riyadh, and then from Riyadh to Istanbul. This dependence illustrates a France relegated on the international scene, incapable of realizing the European “strategic autonomy” that it advocates. The gap between rhetoric and actual capabilities is weakening France’s stature, confining it to a subordinate role in an international order where the United States, Russia, and China are redefining geopolitical balances, and where the European Union is being relegated to the background. This is the emergence of a new Yalta-type (1945) power triangle, with the United Kingdom ceding its place to a China that is becoming increasingly powerful on the global chessboard.

Marginalization of the EU and erosion of French influence

The marginalization of the EU and the erosion of French influence are embodied by the Union’s exclusion from the peace talks in Riyadh and Istanbul, a major setback for Macron and Europe. While the United States and Russia dominate the discussions, the EU, despite Macron’s aspirations, is reduced to spectator status, symbolizing a decline in its overall influence. This relegation is spreading across various geopolitical spheres: in Africa, France is retreating in the face of the Russo-Chinese advance; in Asia, it is failing to counter the Sino-Russian entente; in the Americas, Macron’s attempts to assert himself are eclipsed by Trump’s preference for direct interactions with Putin. In Eurasia and Oceania, French influence is weakening, surpassed by nations with more pragmatic approaches. This deterioration, exacerbated by sterile anti-Russian rhetoric, confirms Macron’s inability to translate his ambitions into concrete strength. Thus, France and the EU, under his leadership, appear as peripheral players, unable to assert a position of strength in an increasingly polarized and ruthless international chessboard.

Finally, Macron’s episodes of humiliation – spanning from Africa to Asia, from Europe to the Americas, and from Oceania to Eurasia – culminated in a tense exchange with Turkish President Erdoğan, who blatantly displayed his contempt in a widely publicized diplomatic incident. This is exactly the price an exposed free rider pays: opprobrium.

Mohamed Lamine KABA, Expert in Geopolitics of Governance and Regional Integration, Institute of Governance, Humanities and Social Sciences, Pan-African University

Politics

Emmanuel Macron is undoubtedly a stowaway