Macron Calls for Europe to Embrace Its Power

Wed Feb 11 2026 01:51:25 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a bold statement, French President Emmanuel Macron emphasizes the need for Europe to assert itself as a world power amidst growing global challenges. He urges the EU to come together to finance critical projects and investments, arguing for a united fiscal strategy to ensure Europe's competitive edge.

French President Emmanuel Macron has addressed the urgency for Europe to establish itself as a global power. Highlighting the threats posed by China, Russia, and the US, Macron encourages European unity and investment to bolster defense, economy, and infrastructure. He advocates for mutualized loans to finance large-scale projects, warning against complacency in the face of international challenges.

French President Emmanuel Macron has urged Europe to assert itself on the world stage, stating it's time to begin acting like a power. As global tensions rise, particularly from China, Russia, and the US, he described the current circumstances as a wake-up call for the continent.

In his remarks to a group of European newspapers, Macron asked, Are we ready to become a power? He emphasized the need for Europe to enhance its capabilities in areas ranging from economy and finance to defense and security.

While ahead of an upcoming EU summit in Brussels, he reiterated his call for joint European initiatives, including the implementation of EU-wide mutualized loans, to secure hundreds of billions of euros for necessary industrial investment.

The time has come to launch a shared debt capacity to fund our future expenses - eurobonds for the future, he said, advocating for large-scale European projects to finance innovation and infrastructure.

Despite facing skepticism from Germany and other nations about financial responsibilities, Macron acknowledged France's historical fiscal challenges and highlighted the growing demand for mutualized European debt in a shifting global market.

He noted, Today Europe faces a massive challenge, in a world of disorder. With the need for annual investment in vital sectors amounting to €1.2 trillion, he called on EU members to protect and promote their industries effectively, asserting that a coherent strategy is necessary to compete with the protectionist measures seen in the US and China.

Macron's call to action came at a time when he stated, We Europeans are on our own. But we have each other. We are 450 million people. It's huge. For me [becoming a power] is the fulfilment of the European adventure. He cautioned against dismissing international volatility, reminding leaders that, despite recent conciliations from Washington, threats still persist.