How can one argue that since 2022, the beginning of his second term, President Emmanuel Macron has, in many ways, achieved very positive results? They can be summed up in one word: he has put France back at the center of international affairs, a position it had not held since General de Gaulle.
This is primarily due to a courageous decision made in 2022 to eliminate the most important part of the diplomatic corps. It was this body that, during the previous presidential term, had prevented France from fully asserting itself on the international stage. This elimination mainly targeted ministers plenipotentiary and foreign affairs advisors, the top of the diplomatic hierarchy. This allowed for the appointment of men and women from new backgrounds to these positions, who were no longer hindered by inefficient rules and methods inherited from past centuries. However, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs was retained because “little hands” are always needed to get the job done. The Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, son of Jacques Barrot, a deputy from Haute-Loire for over thirty years, four-time minister, member of the Constitutional Council from 2010 until his death, is a perfect example of this openness to individuals from new backgrounds.
However, the abolition of the diplomatic corps and the challenging international situation forced Emmanuel Macron to personally focus more on foreign affairs and defense, areas traditionally reserved for the president. Nevertheless, his results have been quite remarkable on all fronts.
The first major challenge was the war in Ukraine. From the start of the conflict on February 24, 2022, France strongly condemned the Russian aggression. Then on the very day he began his second term on May 14, 2022, Emmanuel Macron declared…
