Michel Rose and Elizabeth Pineau

PARIS (Reuters), Emmanuel Macron’s main challenger, the conservative candidate for president has launched her campaign by denying German demands for a Federal European Superstate.

Valerie Pecresse was the unexpected winner in the Les Republicains’ leadership contest. Since then, there has been a lot of interest in opinion polls.

Pecresse stated that she wanted to see the EU preserve independence and not be a federal superstate like the United States in her first rally campaign as a candidate for a party that has its roots back to Charles de Gaulle.

French conservatives were historically supportive of European integration in economic fields, like creating the euro and the single market. However, they have resist the attempts to transfer decision-making from the EU to sensitive sovereign issues, such as defense policy, to the EU.

She said that she heard some German partners suggesting the European Union evolve into a federal country. She said, “Politically but firmly, I will not say no”

According to the agreement that formed Germany’s new government coalition, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the EU should strive for a “federal European nation” following a constitution convention.

Pecresse said that France was not to be considered a “vassal” of the United States and she does not desire to see any other country leave the EU like Britain. Pecresse would also work with Scholz, regardless of his left-wing majority.

Because Germany is such a crucial ally, I’d be willing to cooperate with him. However, she stated that friendship does not come without honesty.

Michel Barnier (EU’s ex-Brexit negotiator and lost bid for the Party leader), spoke at the Paris rally. He said that he was in agreement with Pecresse about Europe.

“We have never been federalists. We support a network of nations. Europe needs to respect nations. Barnier stated to Reuters that nations are needed in order to defeat nationalism.

Pecresse heads the greater Paris area and was once a minister in Nicolas Sarkozy’s last conservative government. This week’s poll showed her support by winning Macron’s election by a margin of 52-48.

Since Saturday’s victory of the centre-right ticket by Pecresse, the poll showed Macron as losing in the second round on April 24, 2019. However, she is competing with Eric Zemmour and Marine Le Pen for the right to be in the second round. Macron has yet not officially announced his candidacy.