The announcement of the customs agreement reached between Donald Trump and Ursula von der Leyen on behalf of the European Union continues to cause a stir. In France, both the right-wing and left-wing opposition believe that it seriously undermines French sovereignty. Speaking on behalf of the Rassemblement National (RN), Marine Le Pen pointed out that it is important not to confuse who is responsible for what: in this case, von der Leyen has once again proved incapable of defending the interests of Europeans.
The RN leader described the agreement as a “political, economic, and moral fiasco,” arguing that such an agreement could never have been concluded with a government genuinely concerned with defending the national interest: “The Commission has accepted asymmetrical clauses that France itself, governed by a patriotic executive, would never have accepted. Hundreds of billions of euros worth of gas, as well as weapons, will have to be imported from the United States every year,” said Marine Le Pen. She believes that the agreement negotiated by von der Leyen implies a “complete capitulation for French industry and for our energy and military sovereignty.”
For the nationalist right-wing presidential candidate, French interests have been sacrificed in favour of German industry. Indeed, clauses in the agreement will force France to open up the single market to American agricultural products in exchange for a reduction in taxes on German car exports.
Le Pen also pointed out that the agreement was particularly unfavourable for France when compared to what the British, on their own, were able to obtain: “The European Union, with 27 member states, obtained worse conditions than the United Kingdom. Sovereignty in trade does not add up: it is diluted, or even, in this case, cancelled out under the weight of Brussels bureaucracy,” she argued.
On the Left, Le Pen is joined in her general assessment by the supporters of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the leader of the far-left France Insoumise party, who believes that “everything has been given away to Trump.” For their part, the Socialists criticised a “vassalage agreement.”
Yet, on the Left and in the press, there is a strong focus on denouncing the alleged ‘contradictions’ of Le Pen, who a few months ago expressed her enthusiasm for Donald Trump’s re-election as U.S. president. “It’s the pot calling the kettle black,” exclaimed left-wing MP Aurore Lalucq on X, calling on Le Pen to “keep a low profile.” Former Macronist minister Clément Beaune, now high commissioner for planning, reminded France Info that “Mr Zemmour, Ms Le Pen and Mr Bardella had taken Trump as their model” and therefore had no reason to complain today.
On X, reactions were swift, reminding the French public where the real responsibility lay. Lawyer and essayist Ghislain Benhassa emphasised that “the problem is not Trump, but the suicidal von der Leyen-Macron axis.” Trump’s role is to defend the interests of the United States. By signing this agreement, he is therefore fully within his rights. Von der Leyen, on the other hand, is supposed to guarantee the interests of Europeans, which she is not doing.
Le Pen finally responded to the attacks herself with a scathing remark: “The fool isn’t the one who proposes an incredibly one-sided deal for his own gain, but the one who accepts it to his own detriment!”
