The howls of gallic outrage from Emmanuel Macron over the political humiliation of being excluded from the Aukusa pact with the knock-on economic damage of a cancelled multi-billion submarine contract, are causing wry amusement elsewhere. There was already disquiet in Washington about EU investment agreements with China and the gas pipeline deal with Russia; and there has been continuing resentment about lack of EU financial commitment to NATO. So there’s more than a smidgeon of hypocrisy about the indignation.
And as Nick Timothy points out in the Telegraph, ‘Aukus is not a “new Nato”. There is no collective security clause, tying Britain into conflict in particular circumstances. The treaty is about capabilities, and pooling expertise that would otherwise have remained secret. If China attacks Taiwan, the treaty would not force Britain to become a belligerent.’
Joe Biden clashes badly with Macron at an astro-level – his determined (and ruthless) Mars in Scorpio square Pluto sits on top of Macron’s Uranus in Scorpio square Mars in Leo which is a volcano waiting to blow. But this would not be a decision based on personality issues since Biden gets on just as badly with Boris Johnson, despite all present purrs to the contrary.
Biden’s relations with the EU will bump along until 2024 when they may blow up into a major disagreement.
France itself is facing a tough few years ahead – but is hardly alone in that. The Eclipse shift into Taurus/Scorpio from this November’s Lunar will rattle up its revolutionary and vengeful Mars in Scorpio and Midheaven. Repeating with the May 2022 Lunar Eclipse in Taurus. The October 2022 Solar Eclipse in Scorpio will oppose the France Saturn for another sharp reality check and a double dose of problems to resolve.
2022/23 will also be bedevilled by a devastatingly confused tr Pluto square Neptune. There’s also a financially blocked Solar Arc Pluto conjunct the France Venus after mid 2022.
In 2023/24 tr Pluto will square the Saturn for hardship, financial cutbacks and a dreary slog; and there’s a lacklustre tr Neptune opposition the Virgo Sun come 2024. By 2025 it’ll start to bounce again in confidence and enthusiasm with tr Pluto square the Jupiter.
The central bank of France, 18 January 1800, will be under severe pressure in 2022/23 with tr Pluto conjunct the Sun, deconstructing the old and hoping the new arises out of the ashes. There’s an enthusiasm-deflating tr Neptune square the Jupiter right through till early 2023; with high anxiety in 2022 as well from tr Saturn square tr Uranus hitting on the Neptune. Then another dose of panic and possibly misjudgements in 2023/2024 from tr Neptune opposition the Uranus.
Nearer the time I’ll look at the French elections due April/May 2022 but from memory Xavier Bertrand’s chart looked reasonably hopeful.
There were tensions building between Australia and France over sharing of technology, so Australia’s withdrawal from the submarine contract is not a complete surprise. However, you would think that a pact including France, given their presence in the Pacific, and excluding the UK, given they have very little to do with the Pacific, would have made more sense.
The UK is family to Australia. When the EU blocked vaccine exports to Australia in March (with France and Thiery Breton crowing about how it was the right thing to do), Britain sent an RAF jet to Australia in the middle of the night with 700,000 AstraZeneca doses.
Australia is under a lot of pressure at the moment. China issued it with a list of 14 policy demands and put tariffs on Australia to force them to kow-tow. Only Britain and the USA called them out on it.
Marjorie is right that Britain wouldn’t go to war if Taiwan was attacked. But the UK WOULD go to war if Australia was attacked. But France wouldn’t.
Australia is in danger and they ran straight to Mum (the UK) and big brother (the USA) – because both those will help instinctively. France won’t even help Lithuania protect itself from pressure from China, even though France and Lithuania are both in the EU…
I don’t think people are aware of just how actively, serious the French state is about creating a new global empire, at least on the US model rather than troops on the ground.
Perhaps AUKUS has provoked such profound fury because the Pacific was a key element to their ambitions.
Curiously, given Mrs Merkel’s imminent departure, there has been little EU noise from France, although the muted, distancing reaction from EU countries over current French rage, may indicate how others intend to play it.
Hugh’s comment in a previous thread (18.9.21) that this is far more significant than the usual spats would seem to be correct.
I also recall Jessica Adams saying something about the US, France and karma.
Macron Mars conjuncts Biden’s Pluto in the 7th house in Leo. Ouch! With Macron’s Saturn sitting on Biden’s North Node in Virgo in the 7th. There is serious anger here. Sky Politics this morning also had a chap who said that Australia, America and Japan are having a meeting soon. Biden is leaving Europe behind. Macron may well take up Merkel’s mantle and fight for Europe. He sincerely believes in Europe’s cause. Macron’s North Node/Pluto conjunction is not a match to be trifled with. He is looking to expand strength, this is personal for Macron and a serious breach of faith in his mind. I mention faith as Macron’s stellium in Sagittarius in the 11th house, indicates someone who really believes in a meeting of minds with his allies. He is a cultured intellectual and feels bitterly wounded by Biden. It is interesting that Biden’s stellium of plutonic fuelled planets in Scorpio is in the 9th the house of travel and is also indicating that breaks and let downs to the old order in Europe are coming fast.
Marjorie would you look at Australia, America and Japan’s charts, when you have time please and see if this is the beginning of a new Super alliance. I have an intuitive feeling the U.K. will be sidelined.
Indeed Neige, and Marjorie summarises complex situations with such insight and clarity, even before the astrological analysis begins.
Thank you very much, Marjorie. You are as swift as lightning!