Editorial: The Guardian

• The French president has called for an EU reset to combat the threat of the far-right.
• Signs of a significant rightward shift in Europe are unmistakable, with parties such as the Rassemblement National in France and AfD in Germany polling well ahead of rivals.
• Despite internal rifts, these radical right-wing parties have substantial financial backing.
• Emmanuel Macron argues that a massive investment in challenges such as the green transition and defence boost can help combat this rise of illiberal extremism.
• It has been suggested that these investments can be financed by joint borrowing tools like those successfully rolled out during the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Macron's approach clashes with traditional German views on the desirability of shared European debt.
• Macron is pursuing a long-term vision similar to that of Alexander Hamilton post-American Revolution, aiming to bind together the various components of the European Union.

Conclusion: Though hurdles in countries like France and Germany make the prospects of a shift ahead of the upcoming elections look slim, Macron has highlighted the need for a fiscal reset in the interest of growth, unity, and solidarity.

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