Ever since he was first elected in 2017 Mr Macron has pushed the idea of European “strategic autonomy”. For years it was brushed aside politely by France’s Atlanticist neighbours as fanciful Gaullist grandeur,

Brigitte Macron is going through a particularly painful time. In just a few weeks, the First Lady of France has had to say goodbye to two very close members of her family. On the night of July 2-3, her older sister,