France: A million take to Paris streets for Johnny Hallyday's funeral - by Kim Willsher

To the blast of electric guitars, the revving of Harley-Davidsons, applause and tears, France bade an emotional farewell to Johnny Hallyday, France’s rock and roll “national hero” on Saturday.

The centre of Paris ground to a halt as the wave of national grief that has overwhelmed the country since news of the death of the singer, known as the French Elvis, at the age of 74 broke early on Wednesday morning.

In scenes resonant of the mass mourning in Britain following the death of Princess Diana, police said a million fans had lined the route of the funeral procession, which was accompanied by Hallyday’s band playing live, as it made its way from the Arc de Triomphe along the Champs-Élysées to Place de la Concorde and on to the church of La Madeleine.

Hallyday’s widow, Laeticia, and their two adopted children Jade, 13, and Joy, nine, followed the cortege. Fans, many in tears, threw flowers at the hearse.
Hallyday’s older children, David Hallyday and Laura Smet, waited on the steps of the church to receive the coffin.

A visibly emotional Emmanuel Macron, a Hallyday fan who had called for a “people’s tribute” to the singer, told the crowds: “You are here for him, for Johnny Hallyday. After 60 years of career, 1,000 songs, 50 albums … you are still there, still there, always there. I know you’re waiting for him to jump out from somewhere, he’s on a bike, he comes towards you and starts the first song and you start singing with him.”

As the crowd cheered, whistled and shouted “Johnny, Johnny”, he continued: “Yes, this December Saturday is sad, but you have to be here for Johnny because from the beginning Johnny was there for you. In moments of your life one of his songs translated something you had in your heart … an indefinable humanity that made us feel less alone. That’s how Johnny came into our lives … he became a necessary presence, a friend, a brother.”

Read more: A million take to Paris streets for Johnny Hallyday's funeral | Music | The Guardian

EU: Macron In Greece Calls for Democratic Conventions to Rebuild EU - by Gregory Viscusi

Emmanuel Macron Rebuilding Confidence and Unity in Europe

French President Emmanuel Macron called for a series of “democratic conventions” across Europe as he vowed that his generation would rebuild citizens’ trust in the European Union.

“Are you afraid of a European ambition that will enable us to win back our sovereignty, our democracy, our confidence?” he asked. “Have this crazy ambition. I promise you we will succeed.”

Speaking at the Pnyx, a hill that was the center of Athenian democracy almost 2,500 years ago, Macron began speaking a few words of Greek to pay tribute to the founders of the city state. Switching to French, and with a stunning view of the Acropolis behind him, he promised to unveil a “road map” by the end of the year for introducing greater democracy into the EU and the euro zone.

Rjecting the calls of populist parties to retreat behind national borders, Macron said “true sovereignty” over the economy and borders can only be achieved at the EU level. “Real sovereignty can only be built through Europe, by combining our forces, not by each one of us turning in on ourselves,” the French leader said. “Our challenges are no longer at the national level. Nations have their place, but the real scale is Europe.”

Macron, 39, has shown a sense of symbolism since his May election: choosing the European rather than the French anthem the night of his victory, hosting Russia’s Vladimir Putin at Versailles, and treating U.S. President Donald Trump to a bone-crunching handshake at NATO. He chose Greece as his first state visit because it’s the birthplace of democracy and because its 2010 bailout laid bare the dysfunctions in the euro area that Macron has vowed to fix. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, 43, spoke before Macron, who littered his speech with citations from the Athenian statesman Pericles.

In his election campaign, Macron frequently linked French and European issues, saying France needed to reform its economy to win the confidence of Germany and other northern countries to win them over to accepting greater European integration.

“Our generation can found Europe again by starting with a deep critical study of what went wrong,” Macron said. “We can’t leave it to those who hate Europe.”

Macron, who defeated anti-EU candidate Marine Le Pen in May, said the conventions across the EU he’s calling for would “decide what Europe we want.”

The EU had lost the trust of its citizens, he said, by focusing on “absurd” rules because it had lost the confidence to pursue grander ambitions.

After meeting Tsipras earlier Thursday, Macron said he expects Greece to be able to exit its bailout program when it expires next August and that he supports easing Greece’s debt load. Macron took 40 French company leaders with him to Athens, saying their interest in investing in Greece is a sign of confidence in the country’s recovery.

In his speech, Macron reiterated his call for a common budget for the euro zone with an “executive that is answerable to an elected euro parliament.” He also called for political parties to present Europe-wide lists in the 2019 EU Parliament elections.

Note EU-Digest: Kudos to President Emmanuel Macron for taking this initiative.  We have all had enough of the populist "naysayers" who want to go back to the so-called "good old Days" of Europe with  borders, different currencies, trade walls, and strife.  The European dream can only become a reality by purpose, through unity, and independence from foreign interference and international political entanglement

Read more: Macron Calls for Democratic Conventions to Rebuild EU - Bloomberg