France is certainly capable; but for Europe to protect itself, first of all, it needs to crack down hard on the rise of fascism, before anything else. The EU is currently one of the few large bastions of liberty left; and we are under threat from foreign Russian aggressors (as well American and to a much smaller extent, Chinese). We need to combat that corruption.

That means:

1. Taxing multimillionnaires and billionnaires actually properly and fining them harsher if they and their assets leave the EU.

2. Same with techbros and their algorithms. Make sure billionnaires can't seize algorithms to sow division (by focusing hatred on LGBT people) and hatred of taxing billionnaires. Don't give fascists a podium; make sure hateful ragebait gets lower in the algorithms. Make it impossible to find fascist videos, manifestos, and the like. Encourage and foster AI only if it's energy-efficient, tolerant, and privacy-respecting; and tax or outright prohibit the rest.

3. Raise wages properly. Put a stop to the raise of monthly rents/mortgages, and finance the social housing builders. Reduce the airBNBism and thus bring power back to hotels. Link wages to inflation rates.

4. Fiscally support farmers in their transition to more sustainable practices. Tacitly support pro-queer groups attending farmers and other like protests.

5. Restrict immigration, but don't deport those who already live there or are having their appliances processed, and didn't have a criminal record before the new restrictions come in. Quietly make procedures swifter and more welcoming for queer refugees.

6. Build an European army, as an extra unit on top of the national militaries. The European army should be cautious in whom it recruits: no fascists and reactionaries!

7. Fiercely oppose surveillance capitalism: all intolerance-fostering means of chat control should be resisted. The only legitimate means of control are the ones to crack down on the corrupt fascists and their terrorist sympathisants. What we should target, are the fascist politicians, leaders, and their ilk. Not the commoners. Those should be offered better living standards, provided that they forswear their hatred and fascism.

Neoliberalism and fascism is a danger to the EU, and correspondingly, to all European nations. (That includes the UK). I'm counting "right-wing populism" as part of fascism, since it's doing exactly the same. A better name is "right-wing corruptism", since it's mainly populated by grifters.

France has the largest exclusive economic zone in the world for a reason and yes it's bigger than that of America.