Patriotism, as exemplified by President Macron, promotes a discourse of co-operation for mutual benefit. He is quite explicitly seeking to build new reciprocal commitments within Europe on economic matters, within NATO on the security of the Sahel, and globally on climate change. Yet Macron is working in the interests of France. When an Italian company tried to buy the nation’s most important shipyard, he intervened to ensure that French interests were protected: he is not a Utilitarian. But crucially, in contrast to nationalism, patriotism is not aggressive.
