Macron's Call for a Unified European Power

Wed Feb 11 2026 01:02:40 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

French President Emmanuel Macron emphasizes the need for Europe to assert itself as a world power amidst global challenges from China, Russia, and the US.

In a recent address, President Emmanuel Macron urged Europe to act decisively on the global stage, advocating for economic unity and collective defense strategies. He highlighted the growing tensions with global powers and stressed the necessity of adopting a 'powerful' stance by mutualizing debts and investing in essential sectors. As the EU prepares for an upcoming summit, Macron's remarks serve as a clarion call for a more assertive European identity in the face of external pressures.

French President Emmanuel Macron has urged Europe to assert itself on the world stage, saying it is time to start acting like a power.

In the face of growing threats from China, Russia and now the US, he told a group of European newspapers that the continent faced a wake-up call.

Are we ready to become a power? This is the question in the field of economy and finance, in defence and security, and in our democratic systems.

In another era we might have said it is the moment to 'assume our majority,' he said ahead of an EU summit in Brussels later this week.

Macron repeated his call for EU-wide mutualised loans in order to raise hundreds of billions of euros needed for industrial investment.

The time has come to launch a shared debt capacity to fund our future expense - eurobonds for the future. We need big European programmes to finance the best projects, he stated, addressing the financial needs of the 27-member EU.

However, similar calls in the past have faced scepticism from countries like Germany, who feel that France seeks to shift financial burdens onto Europe due to its own shortcomings.

Despite this, Macron admitted that France lacks a balanced economic model compared to some Northern economies, which have seen success through reforms.

He emphasized an increasing demand in global markets for mutualised European debt, which the EU currently cannot provide.

Furthermore, Macron pointed out that international investors are seeking alternatives to the US dollar, elevating the importance of a unified European approach.

According to Macron, the EU needs €1.2tn annually to invest in sectors critical to its future, including security, clean energy, and AI.

Highlighting the advances of global competitors, he argued for Europe to protect its essential industries.

Today Europe faces a massive challenge, in a world of disorder, he acknowledged, referring to the shifting landscape of global relations.

As the EU confronts these issues, Macron reinforced the idea that a unified European power could ultimately contribute to global stability.