According to The Telegraph, Keir Starmer's successor Andy Burnham is known for a tighter control over domestic politics, but has little experience in foreign policy. However, the main concern is the departure of Macron from the presidency of France next year, when his second term ends. At the same time, he has no obvious successor. Currently, the bookmakers' favorite to take his place is Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right National Rally party. She has previously promised to withdraw France from NATO's military command, lift sanctions on Russia, and push Ukraine to agree to a peace settlement on Moscow's terms. The far-left radical Jean-Luc Mélenchon, considered one of her main rivals in the election, has gone even further, promising to withdraw from the Western military alliance. ## Who Will Succeed There are currently active discussions in diplomatic circles about who could fill the vacuum left by Macron's departure and take on the leadership role alongside the United Kingdom. An obvious candidate is German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. However, he is mired in internal crises and conflicts within his party, and questions are increasingly being raised about how long he can remain a leader. Roderich Kiesewetter, a member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) of Mr. Merz, emphasized that in both ruling parties in Germany, some members are willing to negotiate with Moscow and return to normal relations with Russia after the war in Ukraine. As a result, this has led to Merz withholding crucial weaponry, such as the long-range Taurus missile, or refusing to seize vessels from Russia's shadow fleet used to circumvent Western sanctions on oil sales. "This is not leadership, so who will lead Europe? We need a Churchill. We have had a few moments similar to Churchill, but there is no Churchill in Europe right now," he emphasized. But the German Chancellor is not the only foreign leader considered a potential weak link. Donald Tusk, the Prime Minister of Poland, who leads one of NATO's strongest armies, has refused to participate in any operations in Ukraine due to his country's proximity to Russia. He also faces a battle to win elections next year. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who has also refused to send troops to Ukraine, must hold elections in Italy by the end of next year. "While it is expected that the two leaders of the European Political Community, alongside the UK, France, and Germany, will win, they are unlikely to be seen as potential successors to Macron," The Telegraph emphasizes. For now, the only option remains the possibility of Prime Minister Andy Burnham of Britain taking the lead of the coalition of the willing on his own, the article concludes.