FRENCH President Emmanuel Macron's state visit to the United States last month was a study in contrasts. Despite the friendly dynamic, Mr Macron's agenda and rhetoric were almost diametrically opposed to US President Donald Trump's. But Mr Macron's leadership is subject to an even more fundamental challenge - how he manages it could point the way forward for liberal-democratic politics.

Addressing the US Congress in English, he articulated a staunchly internationalist worldview, calling for stronger international institutions, a recommitment to the rules-based system of international trade, and a general embrace of globalisation. With regard to Iran, he reiterated the need to preserve the 2015 nuclear deal, from which Mr Trump has just withdrawn, though he did call for complementary agreements on topics that the existing agreement does not address.

Mr Macron has also signalled that he will pursue a pan-European campaign for the 2019 European Parliament election. As a democrat, he believes that the deepening of the European Union must go hand in hand with the development of a truly European political space.