Countries like Germany, France, and Spain supported this idea, and, on the contrary, Britain, Denmark and the Netherlands have strongly opposed it. However, the evidences suggest that such this idea has an abstract nature, and it is merely a minimal and periodic reaction by Macron and Merkel against unilateral measures taken by the U.S. President. Meanwhile, Germany and France spent 1.2 percent and 1.8 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) on defense spending under the NATO pact.

Trump called on German and French officials to increase this amount to 2 percent. Britain and four other countries (out of the 29 NATO member states) have so far been willing to devote 2% of their GDP on NATO defense spending, and 24 other countries have not yet responded to this request. This is a sign of a continuous conflict between the United States and other NATO members which will last for a long time, even after Trump’s leaving the White House!

Accordingly, we should pay attention to the thorough opposition of British officials to the idea of forming a “True European Army”, as it was previously raised by Merkel. Speaking about the prospect of a European army, Gevin Williamson, the British Defense Secretary, told the Daily Mail: ‘You can absolutely rest assured that Britain will never become part of a European army on my watch.

‘It is an absolutely crazy idea. NATO has delivered European security for the last 70 years and we should feel very proud of it. Should we undermine that by forming a separate military force? Absolutely not. To begin discussing a new EU army is dangerous and undermines the security that NATO underwrites.’

He added: ‘Before Europe starts seriously planning its own army it should adequately fund the military that has protected its borders from aggression for 70 years. Two percent of GDP should not be beyond the wit of those who have accumulated great wealth through the protection of NATO, primarily under the leadership of the US and UK.’

London’s opposition to the U.S. policies is not new. But this approach has intensified on the eve of the departure of Britain from the European Union. The British officials are seeking to maintain their security relations with the United States and the EU member states under the NATO after leaving the EU. In such a situation, there are various questions about this recent controversy.

Can the disagreements over the formation of the European Army be considered serious? Are the establishment of the European Army and the disputes around to be analyzed as a symbol of a gap between in trans-Atlantic relations?

Regarding these questions, we should note that many analysts argue about the lack of the real and necessary will among countries such as Germany and France to achieve their security independence from the United States. This has led the Europe to adopt a passive approach towards Washington. This passivity can be well seen in security and economic affairs, and is also evident in different positions taken by European leaders.

For example, shortly before, when the German Foreign Minister spoke of establishing a Special Purpose Vehicle to preserve the nuclear deal with our country, we saw that Merkel, emphasizing the importance of security relations between Berlin and Washington, refused to confirm this solution. This is true for many European leaders.

This is while many European citizens are calling for the abolition of the North Atlantic Treaty and the creation of an independent European army. NATO has created violence and crisis not only in the international system and the rest of the world but also has imposed a lot of financial and structural costs on European citizens. Currently, 26 NATO members are European countries.

Obviously, in the near future, the internal conflicts in Europe will be strengthened over NATO. Conflicts that will initially undermine the foundations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and, at a later stage, would provide the ground for the collapse of this structure.

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In any case, Marin Le Pen and the French National Rally continue to make lots of propaganda in their country’s political and social atmosphere. It should be acknowledged that the recent protests in France have doubled their chance to win the public vote, and he has greatly encouraged Le Pen and her entourage to win the European parliamentary election which is to be held in June.

In 2014, the French National Rally was able to shine exceptionally well in the European parliamentary elections and overcome other French political parties. In the 2017 general election, Le Pen was able to reach the final round of the presidential competitions for the first time since the establishment of the French National Rally. However, at that time, Le Pen couldn’t act against the broad opposition of the Socialist and Conservative parties. But the equation seems to have changed now!

Polls conducted in France suggested a decline in the popularity of Emmanuel Macron as the country’s president. This is while only 18 months has passed since Macaron’s presence at Elysee Palace. Under such circumstances, Le Pen and her companions will naturally try to change the French citizen’s mind to the benefit of the French National Rally.

This is a very good time indeed, as many of the French citizens no longer trust Macron and his promises for making economic, social reforms in France. Le Pen and the senior members of the French National Rally, argue that the Socialist and Conservative Parties won’t be able to redefine themselves in the near future, given the crisis that has stuck the two traditional French parties.

The removal of Socialist and Conservative candidates in the 2017 general election, was well indicating the political and social isolation of these two traditional parties in French society. As a result, French citizens should once again choose between Macron and Le Pen. Le Pen believes that indicating a new face in France political scene as an independent politician is not possible under the current situation, and that’s because the bitter experience of Macron’s presence at the Elysée Palace prevents the formation of such a phenomenon.

Le Pen is now trying to remove Macron from power through holding an early elections; “It is necessary to implement proportional representation and dissolve the National Assembly in order to hold new proportional elections”.

Simultaneously, she attempts to attract the attention of French citizens to herself as France’s next president.

“We believe that the way out of the crisis is essentially political. This decision excludes any use of violence that only adds chaos to adversity,” Le Pen said in a letter published on the party’s website.

Le Pen also emphasized that the political solution to the recent crisis depended on the French officials, while uttering that French President Emmanuel Macron “is deprived of sympathy for the people, constrained by arrogance and indifference of the elites.”

It is not clear, however, that Le Pen’s calculations would all come true. The French National Rally President opened a special account on Macron’s former supporters to change their minds, and as a result, their votes to her benefit! This is while some of these votes may turn into silent votes or white votes.

Also, it’s quite possible that France political atmosphere in 2017, would once again repeat in 2022, or during the country’s possible early elections. In this case, to right-wing extremists of French National Rally are going to lose the elections again. Therefore, Le Pen is really cautious about her positions right now, though she believes that Macron’s incapability provided the ground for her political and social success in Paris.

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The post ‘I Will Never Accept Violence,’ Macron Says after Paris Protests appeared first on Iran News Daily.

Police fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse demonstrators in Paris as thousands gathered in the capital and beyond and staged road blockades.

rising fuel taxes

Thousands of police were deployed nationwide to contain the eighth day of deadly demonstrations that started as protests against tax but morphed into a rebuke of Mr Macron and the perceived elitism of France’s ruling class. Two people have been killed since November 17 in protest-related tragedies.

rising fuel taxes

Tense clashes on the Champs-Elysees that ended by dusk on Saturday saw police face off with demonstrators who burned plywood, wielded placards reading “Death to Taxes” and upturned a large vehicle, Press Association reported.

rising fuel taxes

At least 19 people, including four police officers, were slightly hurt and one person had more serious injuries in the day of unrest in Paris, according to police.

Mr Macron responded in a strongly worded tweet: “Shame on those who attacked (police). Shame on those who were violent against other citizens … No place for this violence in the Republic.”

Police said that dozens of protesters were detained for “throwing projectiles,” among other acts. By nightfall the Champs-Elysees was smouldering and in the Place de la Madeleine, burned scooters lay on the streets.

The famed avenue was speckled with plumes of smoke and neon due to the colour of the vests the self-styled “yellow jacket” protesters wear. French drivers are required to keep neon security vests in their vehicles.

Interior minister Christophe Castaner said that 8,000 protesters flooded the Champs-Elysees at the demonstration’s peak and there were nearly 106,000 protesters and 130 arrests in total nationwide.

Mr Castaner denounced protesters from the far-right whom he called “rebellious,” as he accused National Assembly leader Marine Le Pen of encouraging them.

But the Interior Ministry played down the scale of the demonstrations by highlighting that up to 280,000 people took part in last Saturday’s protest.

The unrest is proving a major challenge for the embattled Mr Macron, who is suffering in the polls.

The leader, who swept to power only last year, is the focus of rage for the “yellow jacket” demonstrators who accuse the pro-business centrist of elitism and indifference to the struggles of ordinary French people.

Mr Macron has so far held strong and insisted the fuel tax rises are a necessary pain to reduce France’s dependence on fossil fuels and fund renewable energy investments – a cornerstone of his reforms of the nation. He will defend fresh plans to make the “energy transition” easier next week.

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But according to the latest polls in France, most citizens in the country are calling for a ban on arms sales to Riyadh. French authorities nevertheless continue to engage in “terrorist business” with Saudi Arabia.

In a recent YouGov poll, 75 percent of French people want Macron to suspend arms exports to countries involved in the war on Yemen, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. But Emanuel Macron, and Le Drian and other Elysée officials ignore their citizens’ requests and continue to support the Saudis.

It is obvious that the symbol of the alleged terrorism claimed by Macron and other European officials are the innocent Yemeni people who have been killed by bombing or starvation during this war. French officials are also well aware of Saudi interventions against Bahrain’s innocent civilians.

It can be argued that Macron’s remarks about the joint fight against terrorism between Paris, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi are so unbelievable and ridiculous that not even the closest people to the French president are persuaded, because these three countries are considered the real source of funding for terrorism in West Asia.

Regarding the political support given Paris by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, France, as a country with veto power in the United Nations Security Council, has used this as leverage to prevent Saudi Arabia’s condemnation by the United Nations. In this regard, the French have a common approach with the other two Western countries, the United States and Britain. All three countries have had a devastating impact on the Middle East. One of the goals the French are pursuing is to create insecurity in the with the aim of continuous intervention. As noted above, there is a close co-operation between Paris, London and Washington.

Emanuel Macron and other French officials, in sum, are partly responsible for Saudi Arabia’s and the UAE’s crimes in West Asia and must be held accountable for them along with the Saudis.

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