The domestic political transformation taking place in France will have an impact on the future of the entire European Union, on common defense policy, on efforts toward economic sovereignty, and on Hungary’s room for maneuver as well – participants concluded at a panel discussion organized by the Europe Strategy Research Institute of the Ludovika University of Public Service.
At the event titled France Between Two Elections, Vivien Pesztericz-Kalas, head of the Europe Strategy Research Institute, emphasized in her opening remarks that France’s domestic political developments will shape the political realities of the coming period not only in Paris, but also in Brussels and Budapest. The title of the discussion referred to the fact that the recently held local elections already indicate a reshaping of voter sentiment and the strengthening of protest attitudes, while attention is increasingly turning toward the upcoming presidential election.
Following this, political scientist Eszter Petronella Soós, associate professor at Milton Friedman University, spoke about how Europe is currently paying exceptional attention to France, as decisions on several major EU matters may be made in the coming months.
Gergely Fejérdy, assistant professor at Pázmány Péter Catholic University and deputy director of the Otto von Habsburg Foundation, drew attention to the importance of Hungarian-French relations. According to Fejérdy, the period before the French elections may create a short but intensive opportunity for closer cooperation between the two countries.
Réka Csepeli, researcher at the Europe Strategy Research Institute of the Eötvös József Research Center at Ludovika University of Public Service and assistant professor at Pázmány Péter Catholic University, offered a more nuanced view of France’s role. In her opinion, for historical reasons there is also a certain restrained enthusiasm toward France in Hungary.
The participants of the panel agreed that France’s political choices extend far beyond its own borders; however, a lively debate emerged regarding the perception of the National Rally.
Further details of the discussion can be found on the university’s scientific portal, ludovika.hu.
Text: Orsolya Jancsó
Photo: Dénes Szilágyi