The French president, Emmanuel Macron, assured this Wednesday that the Treaty of Friendship between Spain and France, rejected the day before by the Senate thanks to the majority of the PP, is "on a path that cannot be stopped," and expressed his gratitude to Kings Felipe VI and Letizia for the invitation and the welcome given during his State visit.
Macron made these remarks in a brief speech during an event held at the residence of the French ambassador in Madrid, Kareen Rispal, with which he concluded his official two-day stay in Spain, following the custom of offering a return reception to thank the Kings for their invitation and the hospitality received.
Before Felipe VI and Letizia, and accompanied by the First Lady, Brigitte Macron, the French leader emphasized that this trip was "almost mandatory" given that the Kings made a State visit to France eleven years ago and that the last State visit of a French president to Spain dates back to 2009.
The head of the Élysée referred to the "famous Treaty of Barcelona," the Treaty of Friendship that he signed with the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, during the summit held in the City of Barcelona in 2023, "which we have talked about a lot during this visit," and insisted that "it is on a path that cannot be stopped."
"Soon the ambiguities will be eliminated," he pointed out, assuming that the text can finally be ratified, in line with what he already defended the day before at the Royal Palace and in his appearance alongside Sánchez, in which he stated that it is a good agreement and lamented that the Senate did not support it.
Macron also highlighted that his stay in Spain has underscored the determination to continue advancing and deepening the bilateral relationship, emphasizing that both countries share "the same vision" in numerous areas. In his view, Spain and France are committed to "forging a more lucid and open Europe" and "are great defenders of multilateralism and the international order."
The French president concluded his speech with a "long live the friendship between Spain and France" and reiterated to the Kings that in France there are "secure friends for a long time," before toasting with them and his wife to conclude the event, which continued later with a cocktail.
Among the attendees, in addition to the Kings, were the president of the Constitutional Court, Cándido Conde Pumpido; the Ombudsman, Ángel Gabilondo; the former Minister of Foreign Affairs Miguel Ángel Moratinos; the president of the CEOE, Antonio Garamendi; the former footballer Raphael Varane; the actress Nieves Álvarez and the designer Agatha Ruiz de la Prada.