LONDON • French President Emmanuel Macron should have every reason to feel satisfied. He faces almost no organised opposition at home; all the French political parties are in the doldrums. He does not need to face the electorate either for years to come, unlike the leaders of most other major European countries.

With Britain now practically out of the European Union, Mr Macron is also free to join hands with Germany in refashioning Europe. And the fact that German Chancellor Angela Merkel is approaching the end of her term in office means that the reform of Europe could end up having a distinctly French flavour, precisely what all French presidents have dreamt of for generations.