Anjan Roy
It was symbolic of France. Victor Hugo’s story of Hunchback of Notre Dame, in which the hunchback swings on the great bells of the eponymous cathedral to send its sounds through the City of Lights, Paris.
Now, five years after it was mostly destroyed by a devastating fire, the restored Notre Dame cathedral is going to be inaugurated by the French president, Emmanuel Macron, on December 4. The French president has decided to put the restored glorious cathedral at the centre of European diplomacy.
Macron has converted the event into the biggest diplomatic coup of the recent times, inviting, as he has, Donald Trump the American president-elect at a glittering re-opening gala. Trump, who likes flattery and flashing lights over any other thing in life, is delighted to be present as chief guest in the grand re-opening of the Notre Dame.
This sets the tone of the changing relationship across the Atlantic and the importance of the western nations’ alliance. Until recently, Great Britain had a so-called “special relation” with the Americans as was flaunted during the second world war and in the days of Europe-wide reconstruction post the war.
Now, France hopes to call the American tunes in Europe. Britain, relegated to the edges of the continent as a faceless and insignificant country, no longer is the dominant voice which the Americans listen to. France, wants to the primary voice of Europe for America. France’s views could be sent directly to the US without being routed though the trans-Atlantic treaty organisation (NATO).
Germany is no longer the dominant European economy and its former long-serving chancellor, Angela Merkel, is longer on the scene. At any rate, Merkel did not develop a friendly chemistry with Trump and philosophically she is diametrically opposite of what Trump stands for.
Merkel has written her memoire, Freedom, which she is promoting in Washington, in company of none other than former US prescient, Barack Obama. Her legacy in Germany is now none too flattering and her policies like shutting down German nuclear plants and replying heavily on cheap natural gas from Russia, has made Germany the most vulnerable to Russian threats.
Additionally, Merkel’s policy of liberal immigration, particularly, accepting millions of Syrian refugees into her country, has played havoc subsequently and German law and order situation has deteriorated regrettably — the kind of situation decried most by Donald Trump all through his election campaign. Rising immigration, uncertain law and order situation, lack of internal security and absence of decisive leadership.
In today’s Europe, Trump values of all people the one leader who is loathed by the rest of the continent — Viktor Orban, the president of Hungary. Orban has been persistent in his attacks on liberal democracy in his country and the associated institutions, like an independent judiciary, free press and freedom of speech.
Macron’s placating Trump could emerge as the best bait in the current state of total disarray in Europe — poor and lacklustre economies, facing the threat of Russia overwhelming Ukraine in the long run, presenting threats to the democratic institutions in the western European countries.
Donald Trump had virtually disowned the post-war iron-clad security guarantee to European countries. NATO’s clause about any attack on one member was to be taken as an attack on all had guaranteed the western European countries against aggression from Russia. However, Trump had observed that Russia could do whatever it thought fit with the European countries who were a member of the trans-Atlantic NATO treaty.
Now, carousing with Donald Trump should hopefully at least give some thoughts about that old American security guarantee. IN the face of blatant Russian threats to western Europe, Macron could instil a few friendly words to the American for mutual benefits of security.
If Donald Trump could at least partially be made to listen to Europe’s entreaties for a security umbrella against any aggression from Russia that could be a real gain.
There is one hopeful sign in that direction. Trump has already named one of his close family members, as US ambassador to France. That should mean, France could at least hope to have the capricious American president’s ears through his close family member. (IPA)
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