Hypocrisy of Macron’s foreign, domestic policies Article by Jewish News Syndicate

Israeli newspaper Jewish News Syndicate has published an article dedicated to the hypocritical policy of France. Caliber.Az reprints the piece.

Alan Dershowitz, the renowned Harvard University law professor, once remarked, “Hypocrisy is not a way of getting back to the moral high ground. Pretending you’re moral, saying you’re moral is not the same as acting morally.”

French President Emmanuel Macron’s foreign and domestic policies offer a striking example of this kind of hypocrisy, where rhetoric and actions often stand in stark contrast. From Ukraine to Iran, and even within his own country, Macron’s political manoeuvres are increasingly difficult to reconcile with his stated principles.

The Ukrainian dilemma

Macron has positioned himself as a staunch supporter of Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia, particularly through his diplomatic engagements with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his collaboration with US President Joe Biden.

Macron’s vocal commitment to supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and resisting Russian aggression is clear, especially when he advocates for Western sanctions against Russia and promises continued military aid to Ukraine. However, when viewed through the lens of France's economic interests, Macron's stance appears less coherent.

Despite his condemnation of Russian actions, France has increased its imports of natural gas from Russia in 2024, a move that highlights the discrepancy between Macron’s diplomatic rhetoric and his country’s economic dependencies.

While he meets with leaders like Zelenskyy and Trump and delivers strong statements about the war, his government's economic ties with Russia seem to undermine his assertions. The sale of Russian gas on the global market, particularly through French intermediaries, renders Macron’s anti-Putin rhetoric almost meaningless, showing a clear conflict between his words and actions.

The Iranian question

Macron's foreign policy on Iran is another area where hypocrisy is evident. On the one hand, he has strongly condemned Iran’s missile program and called on Tehran to restrain its proxies in the Middle East, especially as tensions with Israel escalated. Macron's public statements have denounced Iran's actions, and France, as part of the European Union, has imposed sanctions on Tehran for its destabilizing activities. Yet behind the scenes, there is a different narrative.

Despite the sanctions imposed by the EU, France continues to maintain a complex relationship with Iran, particularly through Armenia. Reports suggest that France has facilitated indirect communications with the Iranian regime via Armenian intermediaries, allowing France to continue dialogue with Tehran even as it publicly criticizes its policies. This dual approach—public condemnation paired with secretive engagement—further reinforces the perception of duplicity in Macron’s foreign policy.

The Karabakh conundrum

Macron's handling of the Karabakh conflict also demonstrates a lack of consistency and fairness. As a member of the MINSK Group, which was tasked with mediating the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, France was expected to act as an impartial negotiator.

However, throughout the course of the conflict, France’s position was heavily skewed in favour of Armenia, despite the group's mandate to remain neutral. This partisan stance undermined the credibility of France as a mediator and revealed a preference for pursuing its own geopolitical interests rather than upholding its role as an impartial actor.

Colonialism at home and abroad

Macron’s hypocrisy is not confined to his foreign policy. Within France itself, his government has been accused of continuing colonial policies, particularly towards regions like Corsica and its overseas territories. While France advocates for human rights on the international stage, it simultaneously upholds policies that critics argue mirror the colonial ambitions of the past.

The contrast between France's international human rights rhetoric and its treatment of territories under its control highlights a disconnect between the country’s actions and its self-proclaimed values.

Conclusion

Emmanuel Macron's presidency is marked by a series of foreign and domestic policies that reveal deep contradictions. His strong support for Ukraine, condemnation of Iran, and stance on the Karabakh conflict are all undermined by actions that conflict with his stated principles.

From economic ties with Russia to secretive engagements with Iran and a biased approach to regional conflicts, Macron's policies suggest that France’s moral high ground is a more rhetorical construct than a consistent guiding principle. In a world increasingly scrutinizing political leaders for their actions, Macron’s hypocrisy risks turning him into a laughingstock on the international stage.

Editor’s note: Ayoob Kara served as Israel’s minister of communications.