Europeans 2024: Glucksmann's vitriolic letter to Macron

In an open letter, Raphaël Glucksmann criticizes Emmanuel Macron's policy towards China and Russia, accusing him of "flattering" the "tyrants".

“Narcissism”, “short-termism”, “obsequiousness”, “pride”… Raphaël Glucksmann does not mince his words. While Emmanuel Macron receives his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during a two-day state visit, the head of the list of the Socialist Party and Public Place for the 2024 European elections strongly attacks the diplomacy of the French president, whom he accuses of “charming” “dictators”. In an open letter published by Le Monde, Glucksmann condemns the “signals of friendship” sent by Macron to Xi Jinping.

“You roll out the red carpet and you even invite him to a place dear to your childhood in the Pyrenees, an intimate place supposed to give this relationship that you dream of being so special the garb of friendship,” laments the head of the list of socialists. Emmanuel Macron is taking his counterpart to the Hautes-Pyrénées on Monday May 6, where he spent his vacation with his grandmother.

“So far, what have you achieved [...] with your signals of friendship perceived in Beijing as so many signals of weakness?” Questions Raphaël Glucksmann vehemently, before emphasizing China's support for Russia, but also the enslavement of the Uyghur people by Chinese power, the repression of Tibetans, Hong Kongers and the threats to Taiwan. “You have obtained nothing other than symbolic tributes flattering your pride,” he concludes. According to him, “the lessons of the total failure of your five years of charm offensives against Vladimir Putin have apparently not been learned.”

“Flattering an authoritarian empire fundamentally hostile to the interests and principles of our nations brings us nothing and costs us a lot,” Raphaël Glucksmann further denounces. The MEP thus calls for “an end to French presidential narcissism which pushes most of the tenants of the Elysée to embrace dictators as soon as they are powerful.”