If you ever get struck by a mid-life crisis and decide to relearn French in the countryside of France, it may not be seen as a daring venture but it indeed gives you a glimpse of your own nature. Consider me as an example. I discovered that I’m a kinaesthetic learner, the one who comprehends data easily when shown physically rather than reading it- something I never knew despite being quite studious. I was bewildered to realise that reclaiming a language can be a challenging task, given how rarely I flexed the ‘foreign language muscle’ in my typically Irish, monolingual mind.
On a lighter note, it is worth mentioning the surprisingly loud mating calls of frog in rural France that can seize your night’s sleep. Mimicking their version of Robert Plant, these creatures break the sound barrier in search of serious romance, which may seem like a run-of-the-mill idiom but believe me, the noise is overwhelming.
Moving on to a more consequential matter, we need to recognise two elements while trying to comprehend our European peers. Firstly, the sturdiness of the Franco-German bond and secondly, the might of an emerging coalition of farmers and new extreme rightist factions against environmental advocates. This avant-garde analogy of a 21st-century union sees rural farmers and varied metropolitan anti-establishment movements, aligning against what they perceive as the cosmopolitan, urban Green movement- a trend that became evident in the Netherlands.
The other evening, while playing boules, I found myself in a conversation with a local farmer named Gatien, owner of a classic Breton name. Amidst interspersed talks about the illustrious 1970s football team, St Etienne, and the allure of Antoine Dupont when in form, he expressed his concerns over the manipulation of his profession and more basically, his lifestyle due to environmentalism.
The point here isn’t just to debunk these premises, since politics is primarily about personal sentiments. Gatien and his companions feel the officials (who to them, seem far removed) label them as devastators of the environment. They talk about restrictions on their livestock, limitations on water supply and the erosion of their traditional values by what they see as interference from excessively meddling regulations.
Farmers are not viewing the European Union, which furnishes millions in euros for their agricultural prosperity, as their guardian. Instead, Marine Le Pen, the right-wing candidate against the EU who commonly praises their enduring culture, values and living standards, is seen as their protector.
In comparison, Emmanuel Macron continues to emphasise the Franco-German alliance as the core of the European Union, in fluent German no less, as he conveys this message on a national TV broadcast from Dresden. The dynamic between these two countries has been a defining aspect for Europe over the past century and a half. The period from 1870 to 1945 saw a series of continental wars, tension and rivalry shaping the relationship.
The common narrative is familiar, but other Europeans must acknowledge the turnaround the EU and EEC brought about. Both France and West Germany initiated a significant phase of reconciliation, following the chaos of World War II. Some French intellectuals and politicians, including Robert Schuman, the European Union’s progenitor, even proposed a federation between the two nations to avert a future war. “European integration”, in a nutshell, was interpreted as friendship between France and Germany. Although the federation proposal was deemed too quick, the EU was constructed around a Paris and Bonn axis, now Berlin.
The ultimate symbol of European solidarity, the euro, was the result of a compromise between France and Germany in response to German reunification. The proposition was that East Germany could be returned to Germany in exchange for the Deutsche mark, essentially telling Germany, “we can exchange your currency for your country”. Consequently, the iconic Deutsche mark, representing West Germany, ceased to exist within a short span of time.
Macron comprehends the fundamental importance of the Franco-German relationship to the European Union. He acknowledges that contemporary Germany is not as powerful as it once was, hindered by recent occurrences such as the cessation of affordable Russian gas, the lifeblood of Germany’s industrial sector, and the reduced demand from China for German products due to economic deceleration and escalating trade disputes with the West.
Furthermore, America’s tolerance for Germany effectively delegating its defence to the US has run its course. Consequently, for the first time since the 1930s, Germany must finance its own military, particularly given Russia’s increasing progress into Ukraine, a situation of great consequence for Germany. Observing French television coverage this week, I discerned an unprecedented balance in political and economic power between the French President and German Chancellor in their meeting, at least from a French viewpoint. This dynamic seemed entirely new, contrasting with the last fifty years.
The reaction was more muted in rural regions, where locals seemed unimpressed by the political meet. Following a pastis, their conversation shifted to immigration. The farmers, who had previously relied on the assistance of Moroccan seasonal workers, expressed discomfort regarding the influx of foreigners into France. The dialogue shifted from economics towards cultural matters. Most participants usually did not support the National Front and would have likely endorsed Jacques Chirac over Jean-Marie Le Pen. Yet they admitted the growing environmental movement was pushing them towards Le Pen’s camp.
One of the most significant emerging threats to the European Centre foregrounds a potential alliance between rural pragmatists and city folk against environmental regulations. These rulings have aggravated farmers and are cynically leveraged by right-wing factions as a unifying issue. Both groups can vocally blame an anonymous “they” residing in Dublin, Paris or Brussels, accusing them of plotting to dismantle established lifestyles. This “they” is portrayed as a force trying to control behaviour and methodically eroding freedom, liberty and heritage.
During my interactions with the farmers, the term “they” frequently surfaced. Upon inquiry, “they” were identified as legislators, desk jockeys, politicos, corporate juggernauts, the EU, left-wingers, green warriors and an out-of-touch liberal elite oblivious to the realities of rural life.
In the upcoming EU elections, we see a clear divide between the global perspective championed by Macron and Gatien’s domestic aspirations. Both views hold validity, yet they’re currently perceived as contradictory. It was once entirely viable to merge urban and rural interests; however, those times are no longer. The environmental cause is now the target of populists, who’ve managed to garner support from portions of the agricultural sector, firmly believing that with this backing, their populist movement is unbeatable. As the saying goes, culture often outweighs economic interests. The struggle to determine the essence of France has begun; for years, the cosmopolitans, with their advocacy for European unity and great power politics, have consistently prevailed, but this could change. Welcome to the world of politics in the 21st century.