Final Word from Wednesday, January 11, 2023

French Pres. Emmanuel Macron organized the meeting of the European Political Community in Prague in early Oct. as a counterweight to the transatlantic alliance and told HN at the time that Europe should stop relying on the U.S. for its defense. He doesn't know a single Czech or Frenchman who wants his or her security to depend on the decision of the American voter, he said with allusion to Donald Trump. It's considered disinformation to speak of Petr Pavel as the Czech presidential candidate of the U.S., or of Danuše Nerudová as the candidate of Germany. This raises blinders when it comes to analyzing the issue of why Macron deigned to meet in Paris yesterday with Andrej Babiš and subjected himself to criticism of interfering in the Czech elections. If the U.S. and Germany have their preferred candidates, why shouldn't France? This doesn't mean that Paris won't work with Pavel or Nerudová if they're elected, but it does mean that Macron will have the inside track if they aren't. [ Czech Republic president United States Hospodářské noviny ]