Fighting Islamic terror is France's top priority: French President Macron
What's the story
Delivering a key foreign policy address on Tuesday, President Emmanuel Macron said fighting Islamist terrorism is France's top priority. Macron's reference to Islamist terror comes amid increasing frequency of terror incidents in France, which have claimed about 230 lives since 2015. Macron vowed to make France a leading power and further outlined several other foreign policy priorities. Here's more on Macron's foreign policy speech.
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Foreign policy speech could be aimed recovering from declining ratings
Four months into the presidency, Macron's approval ratings have been dipping. Macron was probably trying to win approval back with the assertive foreign policy address, by declaring France's priorities in becoming a leading international power.
Details
Middle East emerges as foreign policy priority for Macron
Expressing his disapproval for President Trump's opposition to the Iran nuclear deal, Macron said that "there were no alternatives to non-proliferation". He promised to broker peace between Middle-Eastern nations, including arch-rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran, in order to "eradicate the Jihadist threat." Macron also said that France would try to coordinate international efforts on cutting off funding for groups like ISIS.
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Macron agrees with Trump on Venezuela
Echoing US sentiments on Venezuela, Macron termed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's regime, a 'dictatorship'. Macron said, "a dictatorship is trying to survive at an unprecedented humanitarian cost, even though the resources of the country remain significant".
Highlights
Macron's foreign policy: Has France's international standing improved?
France has made bold moves under Macron and is evolving as an important regional and global player. Macron further displayed France's new-found assertiveness while calling out US President Donald Trump for his withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on climate change. Emerging as an important player in Europe, Macron has further been at the forefront of efforts to address the European migrant crisis.