Η Γαλλίδα Ευρωβουλευτής και Πρόεδρος των Ευρωπαίων Φιλελεύθερων - Δημοκρατών, κα. Valérie Hayer μιλά στον Μαρκόπουλο Χ. Θωμά

Επιμέλεια: Θωμάς Μαρκόπουλος 
Η Γαλλίδα Πρόεδρος του Φιλελεύθερου και Κεντρώου Ευρωπαϊκού Κόμματος RENEW EUROPE και Ευρωβουλευτής του Γάλλου Προέδρου Εμμανουέλ Μακρόν μας μιλά για όλα! Σημείωση 1η, στην Ελλάδα το πανευρωπαϊκό κόμμα RENEW EUROPE κατεβαίνει με το Ελληνικό Κόμμα ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΕΣ και τον κο. Ανδρέα Λοβέρδο. Σημείωση 2η η συνέντευξη δεν είναι στα Γαλλικά και τα Ελληνικά αλλά στα Αγγλικά. Σας ευχαριστούμε θερμά. Καλό Πάσχα και Καλή Ανάσταση σε όλες και όλους, Χρόνια Πολλά!

Now 37, Hayer was a local councillor for the centrist UDI party before switching to Macron's camp in 2017. She entered the European Parliament in 2019, and was appointed to lead the parliament's Liberal Renew Europe group in January 2024. But she has no national profile in France, prompting some observers to question Macron's decision to put her first in line to be elected in the upcoming European polls – which are expected to be a key test of voters' faith in the EU. Speaking to the right-wing Le Figaro daily, Hayer brushed off such concerns: "Maybe I'm still unknown to the general public, but that's not the case in the halls of the European Parliament. Some of my competitors couldn't say the same."

Born in France's north-western Mayenne department in 1986, Hayer – who likes to describe herself as "the daughter, granddaughter and sister of farmers" – is a timely pick in the light of French farmers' anger towards Macron's government and their deep mistrust of EU agricultural policy. "I'm lucky enough to have grown up on a farm with my sister and brother," Hayer told TF1 television this week, saying she was "very proud to come from the farming world". Hayer initially wanted to become a veterinary surgeon, but went on to study public law. She was quickly drawn to the world of politics, becoming a local councillor in her home region at the age of 21 – the same year she joined the UDI. From local politics, Hayer went on to become vice-president of the Mayenne department in 2016, joining Macron's party – then named En Marche, since renamed Renaissance – in 2017.

Two years later she was elected to the European Parliament and has since played an active role in negotiating the rolling European budget and the post-Covid recovery plan. In a foretaste of the next three months of campaigning, Hayer has regularly crossed swords with the far-right National Rally led by Jordan Bardella, as well as Jean-Luc Mélenchon's hard-left France Unbowed group. Speaking on her first campaign visit on Friday, to a farm in her native Mayenne, Hayer stressed that she did not want "Europe and agriculture to be opposed". "I don't want Europe and agriculture to be pitted against each other. The reality is that ... French farmers need Europe," she said. "Every year, €10 billion of European money goes to support French farmers. I fought to get it at the very beginning of my term of office. I can guarantee you that it wasn't a foregone conclusion."

Hayer's farming credentials will be put to the test on Saturday when she attends the politically charged Paris Agriculture Show, where angry farmers last weekend greeted Macron with whistles and insults. Europe which today in France is monopolized in this new political year by the extreme right which has already announced its heads of list whether at Reconquête or the National Rally... That's the whole point and as a European MP, I am here to recall some truths and above all to emphasize the excellent record of the presidential majority.

What is your assessment about todays EU?

It is very dense. I was elected in 2019 with the ambition of carrying, like my comrades, the speech at La Sorbonne by the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron. We will also be celebrating six years in a few days. What was the initial vision? Where are we ? I can tell you that all of the proposals put forward by the Head of State, pro-European I must remind you, have been practically implemented. I am thinking of the carbon tax, the commitment to climate neutrality, the greener Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the refusal of deforestation, digital regulation and the Europe of defense. And many more. No president like Emmanuel Macron can boast such an impressive record. And I say it very clearly, Europe still needs the president's European vision for the coming years.

Back to the farright, they intend to make this election a vote for or against Em. Macron, right?

They first claim that they no longer want to leave Europe but all the votes on their mandate were aimed at weakening Europe. They voted against the fight against social dumping. The economic recovery plan after the global pandemic, ditto. And immigration regulation laws, likewise. We see how Brexit was a disaster for the English, the far right is of the same logic. They are showing inconsistency and deceit while the war is at the gates of Europe.

Is it audible though? Their poor record doesn't seem to affect their electorate, right?

It's terrible indeed. But we have hope. French media are not yet fully in the European campaign. It will then be time to highlight everyone's results and programs. A necessary duty of truth which will make it possible for the French to understand the risk before us of entrusting the reins of our European destiny to these far-right parties. And then, like this weekend in Nîmes, we are also going to meet voters to explain all of this.

Europe has also suffered for years from a bad image in France. All fingers are pointed at her every time there is a crisis. How to change this software?

There's a lot to do. But one of the keys is to make a Europe more participatory for residents. And remember that we are working towards a Europe that protects more and more. I am thinking of the deployment of drug factories, of the economic recovery plan which is concretely changing the situation with the reindustrialization of activities, particularly in France. To Civil Security for the fight against forest fires, a subject that you know well here in Nîmes. Finally, the green deal to fight climate change...

Daughter, granddaughter and sister of farmers, graduate in public law, former vice-president of the Mayenne Departmental Council, Valérie Hayer comes from the centrist UDI party. Former parliamentary collaborator of ex-minister Jean Arthuis, she joined Emmanuel Macron in 2017 before being elected MEP in 2019. She also and above all succeeded in January at the head of the centrist Renew group in the European Parliament from Stéphane Séjourné , long anticipated for the head of the list but finally named Minister of Foreign Affairs in the government of Gabriel Attal.


Valérie Hayer, "farmer's daughter, who comes from the west where there are a certain number of pro-European voters, who comes from the UDI at a time when the centrist party wishes to join the majority, this is not not the stupidest idea", recently judged an executive from the presidential camp. “She did this field exercise that sometimes some European parliamentarians forget to do, of going to meet our fellow citizens to explain the project that was carried by Europe, what we were defending,” also boasted on Public Senate the Minister responsible for Relations with Parliament, Marie Lebec.

The Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament today elected, by acclamation, Valérie Hayer as President of the Group. The nomination of Valérie Hayer was fully endorsed by all members of the Group, following the interim presidency held by the First vice-president of the group, Malik Azmani. Valérie Hayer is only the second woman to lead the Liberal and Democrat family in the European Parliament, following in the footsteps of Simone Veil, who led the Group of the Party of European Liberals and Democrats from 1984 to 1989. Valérie becomes the youngest ever leader of the Liberal and Democrat faction in the Parliament. Speaking after her election, Valérie Hayer, said: “I am honored to have been chosen to lead the Renew Europe family in the build up to European elections that will be so decisive for our continent. There is no time to waste; our group will continue to steer the work of this Parliament and deliver a stronger Europe for the benefit of citizens."

“I welcome the trust given to me by my colleagues, and I know I can count on Malik and the group’s support. Our family is strongly united and optimistic about the up-coming elections. The diversity of our group, from the ALDE Party, the European Democrats, and those who are not affiliated is our strength. Our goal is clearer than ever: to be the pro-European antidote to rising populism, provide solutions to citizen's concerns and come back even stronger in this house after the elections!" First-Vice President of the Group, Malik Azmani M.E.P. said: “Over the past four and a half years, I have proudly been working towards a stronger Union and I will continue to do so. I believe that Valérie Hayer will lead the group in an excellent way; she has my support as Group President."

Background: Valérie Hayer has been a Member of the European Parliament since 2019. Affiliated with Renaissance in France, she was co-president of Renew Europe's French delegation (L'Europe Ensemble) with Marie-Pierre Vedrenne from 2021 until today. Valérie Hayer worked on the EU budget, has negotiated the MFF for Parliament and is Renew Europe's Budgets coordinator. Her other works include the protection of the rule of law, LGBT rights and the support for European industries. She is also involved in mobilising pro-European civil society in France. Before joining the European Parliament, Valérie Hayer was a local councillor in her home region in France.