September 04, 2017
Macron: Still the Answer for France?
From the west side of the Atlantic, France may appear to be experiencing a time of political calm. While President Donald Trump feeds news outlets a constant stream of staffing changes and political crises, President Emmanuel Macron offers relatively infrequent opportunities for breaking news. Stories on Macron rarely examine the inner workings of his administration, instead often highlighting flashy PR moments, like when he impersonates James Bond or welcomes celebrities like Rihanna to Paris. However, this disparity in news coverage is deceiving. Although France lacks the conspicuous chaos that characterizes the White House, cracks in Macron’s shiny political exterior could be beginning to emerge. His short time in office has been characterized by public disagreements with his officials and popular backlash to his proposed policies, leaving Macron doubling down on his cabinet to salvage his public image and preserve his vision of the presidency. Macron entered office with a vision for a “Jupiterian” presidency, which exists above petty political squabbles, but it seems he has grossly underestimated the inherently conflictual nature of democracy.
Read the full op-ed in The National Interest.
More from CNAS
-
Celeste Wallander on Ukraine
Podcast
Celeste Wallander, President and CEO of the U.S. Russia Foundation, joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss Russian operations in Ukraine and the U.S. response...
By Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Jim Townsend & Celeste Wallander
-
NATO Is Struggling Under Trans-Atlantic Tensions
Commentary
NATO leaders gathered in London this week for a brief summit marking the alliance’s 70th anniversary. The trans-Atlantic community looked on with trepidation—not because there...
By Jim Townsend & Andrea Kendall-Taylor
-
Trump attends NATO summit day one
Video
As President Trump meets with NATO allies in London, Andrea Kendall-Taylor appears on MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell Reports to discuss. Watch the full conversation on MSNBC....
By Andrea Kendall-Taylor
-
Josh Shifrinson and Jim Goldgeier Discuss NATO Expansion
Podcast
Jim Goldgeier, Professor of International Relations at American University, and Josh Shifrinson, Professor of International Relations at Boston University, join Andrea Kendall...
By Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Jim Townsend, James Goldgeier & Joshua R. Itzkowitz Shifrinson
