“Europe. Ecology — the Greens”: Strategy of national and European identity

Abstract

This article analyzes reasons for the rise of the “green wave” in France at the national and European elections, as well as the electoral strategy of the party “Europe. Ecology — the Greens” during the presidency of E. Macron. The research purpose is to identify the relationship between national and European strategies in the development of this French party. This dichotomy already emerges from the peculiar spelling of the party’s name through a period and a hyphen between three words, which should indicate two constituent bases of the party that made an application for the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections in France in the spring of 2022. The author uses such methods such as general scientific logical methods, comparative analysis, and a systematic approach, but primarily relies on a traditional historical methodology that includes the historical-genetic method and criticism of sources. The author comes to the following conclusions. First, the French “greens” have much more firmly established their positions in the European Parliament, thanks to the initiatives of which many programs on environmental problems are being implemented on a European scale. Second, well-known French environmental activists often head various commissions in the European Parliament for the development and adoption of laws in the field of “green economy”. Third, the ambivalence of the “Europe. Ecology — the Greens” and fluctuations in its strategic course along the line of “center-left/extreme left” impede the development of a clear national strategy. Sympathy for the “greens” among the common people is hampered by their too left-liberal slogans about tolerance towards immigrants and issues of national security, as well as in such important societal issues as childbearing with the help of in vitro fertilization and surrogacy.