Macron warns against populist surge in Europe

French President Emmanuel Macron warned against the dangerous surge of populism plaguing Europe, cautioning against political tendencies which are comparable to those in the inter-war years in the 1920s.

He made the statement in a interview with French Ouest France newspaper head of November 11 Armistice Day celebrations to mark the centenary of the ceasefire between German and Allied forces in 1918.

“Europe is facing the risk of of dismemberment through nationalist leprosy and being pushed over by external powers, and therefore to lose its sovereignty,” he said.

“In a Europe that is divided by fears, nationalist assertion and the consequences of the economic crisis, we see almost methodically the rearticulation of everything that dominated the life of Europe from post-World War I to the 1929 crisis,”, he said.

He urged Europe to “resist” the  political tendencies which are comparable to those in the inter-war years in the 1920s, stressing the importance spreading the democratic and republican momentum, warning that attempts to weaken Europe from the inside come amid renewed threats from the outside.

He cautioned against the continuous dependence of Europe on the United States in its security, the growing presence in China , in addition to Russia “which is  sometimes tempted by manipulation as well as big financial interest, and markets”.