Macron Bashes von der Leyen’s Weak Negotiating With U.S.

The list of European leaders who have fallen out with Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen over her rushed trade deal with Donald Trump continues to grow. Now, after an initial silence, Emmanuel Macron has effectively scolded Brussels for not negotiating properly with the U.S.

The French president accused Ursula von der Leyen of being unable to put forward the European case and presenting the supposed strength of the EU market, as stated by an official present at Wednesday’s Council of Ministers. According to them, Macron said:

To be free, you have to be feared. We have not been feared enough.

France’s prime minister, François Bayrou, has also already accused the Commission of “submission.”

Macron reportedly agreed with Commission trade chief Maroš Šefčovič’s assessment that the agreement was struck under “difficult circumstances,” but clearly does not share his view that this is “the best deal we could get.”

But he did suggest a better deal could still be reached; that “the story isn’t over and we won’t stop there.” True—although it appears matters could also get even worse, with Washington weighing up whether to slap tariffs on pharmaceutical products too.

Responding to Macron’s criticism, French writer Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry jibed that he “spent his entire presidency trying to surrender sovereignty to the EU and is now outraged, outraged that they’ve negotiated this trade deal on his behalf [that] he doesn’t like.”

Others say Europe simply does not possess the cards required to shift Trump’s position, even if it were better at negotiating. Either way, attacks like this are strongly indicative of growing splits within the bloc.