(NEWS, COMMENT AND ANALYSIS WITH MAINSTREAM MEDIA SOURCES)
(FINAL VERSION EDITED FOR CLARITY)
This week both French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz pushed rapid European economic development. They spoke at a European industrial conference in Antwerp, Belgium.
Macron and Merz citing the competition of both the United States and China linking the need for rapid development to a notion of European sovereignty.
With Europe often following the line of the United States on various issues including the pressure being applied to Iran over its nuclear program and more questioning of Chinese business operations on its territory one wonders exactly what a notion of European "independence" or "sovereignty" actually means.
Macron made clear the need for huge amounts of investment in key areas saying that Europe must:
"invest massively, all together, in the sectors, that will shape tomorrow's power: quantum computing, AI, green technologies and defense..."...
IT IS ALREADY WELL-KNOWN THAT EUROPE IS COMMITTED TO MASSIVE INCREASES IN DEFENSE SPENDING.
THIS SEEMS TO BE A PATHWAY TOWARDS EUROPEAN PARTICIPATION IN FUTURE CONFLICTS WITH RUSSIA AND OR CHINA ALONGSIDE THE UNITED STATES.
BUT THE MILITARY BUILDUP CAN ALSO BE CLEARLY SEEN AS A DEMAND BY THE US THAT EUROPE IS COMPLYING WITH.
IT'S ALSO PORTRAYED AS WAY FOR EUROPE TO COUNTER THE US MILITARILY WHEN PERHAPS AN EFFORT IS UNDERWAY TO CONFUSE OR MISLEAD RUSSIA AND CHINA WHO ARE THE ULTIMATE ADVERSARIES.
For his part Chancellor Merz stressed the need to eliminate economic regulations that stifle economic development clearly advocating for more free market liberal capitalism in Europe.
In the aftermath of their speeches European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen setting a deadline of June for new more liberal economic rules in Europe.
The notion that a group of leading nations like France, Germany, Spain, Poland and Italy will go forward with accelerated investment and economic development is moving forward. At least nine EU countries would be needed for such a plan to go forward...NOS Netherlands (Translation Prompt)
ON FRIDAY AT THE MUNICH SECURITY CONFERENCE BOTH PRESIDENT MACRON AND CHANCELLOR MERZ STRESSING THE NEED FOR A STRONG EUROPEAN DEFENSE IN THE FUTURE.
FRENCH DIPLOMAT UNDER SUSPICION OVER JEFFREY EPSTEIN LINKS
Longtime French Diplomat Fabrice Aidan under scrutiny by the public prosecutor over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
Aidan mentioned more than 200 times in recently released US Justice Department Epstein Files...BFM-TV France Story
On Thursday President Emmanuel Macron saying it was 'unacceptable' that Mr. Aidan remained in his position in spite of an FBI child pornography investigation involving him...AFP-BFM-TV France Story
Mr. Aidan serving 25 years at France's foreign ministry including working directly for the United Nations.
Aidan served as an aide to UN Special Envoy Terje Roed-Larsen who is now being probed by Norwegian authorities.
The Epstein Files reveal Mr. Aidan sending UN documents and reports to Jeffrey Epstein.
Mr. Aidan was on leave from the Foreign Ministry working with the energy company "Engie" which suspended him over the Epstein files revelations....
A team of magistrates appointed by the Paris Prosecutors Office now pouring through the Epstein Files to identify French nationals who may have been involved with Jeffrey Epstein.
The Paris Prosecutors Office also taking a new look at the file of Jean-Luc Brunel Epstein's closest French associate who died just like Jeffrey Epstein did found hanging in his prison cell following his arrest...
MAINSTREAM 'RIGHT' POLITICIAN BRUNO RETAILLEAU ANNOUNCING A RUN FOR PRESIDENT NEXT YEAR.
RETAILLEAU SERVED AS INTERIOR MINISTER FOR PRESIDENT MACRON'S FORMER PRIME MINISTER MICHEL BARNIER.
THERE HE GAINED A REPUTATION AS A TOUGH LAW AND ORDER ADVOCATE INCLUDING A TOUGH LINE ON IMMIGRATION.
MR. RETAILLEAU HELPED TO BRING DOWN THE FIRST GOVERNMENT OF THE NOW PRIME MINISTER SEBASTIEN LECORNU SAYING IT WAS TOO CLOSE TO PRESIDENT MACRON.
AT THIS POINT HIS CANDIDACY APPEARS TO BE A LONGSHOT IN A FIELD WHERE CANDIDATES OF THE NATIONAL RALLY AND PRESIDENT MACRON'S CENTRIST ALLIANCE SEEM TO HAVE THE UPPER HAND IN MAKING IT TO THE SECOND ROUND.
THE NATIONAL RALLY (RN) STILL HOPING TO SEE MARINE LE PEN AS THEIR STANDARD BEARER HER LEGAL APPEAL OF AN EMBEZZLEMENT CONVICTION HEARD THIS WEEK WITH THE COURT OF APPEAL SET TO RULE AT 130 PM ON JULY 7TH.
IF SHE LOSES THE APPEAL JORDAN BARDELLA WILL REPLACE HER AS THE RN CANDIDATE...POLITICO EU
This weekend a 23-year-old nationalist activist named "Quentin" is dead after he was struck in the head and wounded.
He was attacked in Lyon as he and other far-right activists protested a Leftist meeting to discuss the Middle East.
A leftist demonstrator injured in a separate clash before Quentin was attacked at a different location.
President Emmanuel Macron saying in response to Quentin's death:
"Hatred that murders has no place in our country"...
For now that's news from France.
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