Macron's Brexit Victory: A Satisfied "Jupiter" Descends on Britain

Strategic Insights -

Emmanuel Macron's three-day state visit to the UK is a testament to his winning Brexit strategy, which has been in the making for years. As the French president arrives in Britain, he is met with a mixture of relief and curiosity. Macron's visit marks the final piece of the UK's reset with the EU, cementing the country's place in the orbit of core EU members.

Key Takeaways:

  • Macron has achieved his goal of making Brexit a failure, with the UK agreeing to surrender 12 years of its fishing waters as part of the reset deal.
  • The deal includes a defence pact formalizing foreign policy and security cooperation, allowing the UK to participate in EU defence spending programs.
  • The UK has also agreed to align with EU plant and animal health rules, becoming a rule-taker from Brussels.
  • Macron's visit is a reward for Sir Keir Starmer's efforts to reset relations with Brussels, with the Labour leader hosting the European Political Community (EPC) summit in July 2022.
  • The EPC is a six-monthly meeting of EU and non-EU European leaders, a concept born from Macron's vision of a "multi-speed Europe".
  • The deal will "resynchronise the relations" between the EU and the UK, according to the Elysee.
  • Macron has also secured a deal to return Channel migrants to France, with Britain taking in an asylum seeker from France in exchange for each migrant returned.
  • However, hopes of announcing this agreement are in doubt due to objections from other EU member states.
  • Macron's visit will include a wreath-laying ceremony at the statue of Winston Churchill and a meeting with the King, as well as an address to MPs and peers in Westminster.

Statistics:

  • 12 years: The duration of the UK's fishing waters surrender as part of the reset deal.
  • 2022: The year the EPC summit was held, hosted by Sir Keir Starmer.
  • 6 months: The frequency of EPC meetings.
  • 1:1: The "one in, one out" ratio for migrants returned to France in exchange for asylum seekers accepted by Britain.
  • 2: Macron's number of presidential victories, with his first victory in 2017 and his second in 2022.
  • 2027: The year the presidential elections in France are scheduled to take place (no specific date mentioned in the text).
  • 2022: The year the UK's reset deal with Brussels was agreed in principle (no specific date mentioned in the text).

Sources:

  • Anonymous Elysee official quoted in the article
  • The article does not provide direct sources for the information mentioned.