Newly elected at the head of one of the macro-regions with expanded competencies due to the NOTRe law, president of a Metropolis that encompasses a globally renowned urban area, Christian Estrosi, through his responsibilities, is a key player in this “globus et locus” process, which, beyond the sovereigntism of yesteryear, will configure itself through a network of territories.
The economic development of the Region will, in the future, rely more on Brussels than on Paris; trade exchanges will primarily target cross-border regions and other Mediterranean shores; innovation through new technologies has surpassed the distances of place and time and will be characterized by centers of excellence wherever they are found.
At the same time, it will be necessary to affirm, preserve, and strengthen the origins of a population “intermixed” in the noble sense of the term, which should be understood and interpreted through the meaning given by Pope Francis: a community that recognizes itself in values intrinsic to it and in a common destiny.*
Christian Estrosi, an experienced politician, knows that to govern well, one must manage the daily while also knowing how to look further.
He shared his thoughts with us, which lack neither insight nor depth.
Nice Premium: Will it be possible to restore hope to the 22.5 million unemployed in the EU, of which 17.2 million are in the 19 eurozone countries?
Christian Estrosi: The number of job seekers quickly dropped in the United States and the United Kingdom in 2015. Economic recovery is also taking place at the European level, but not in our country. France is the only major European state not creating jobs (from 2013 to 2015: +651,000 in Spain, +482,000 in Germany). Worse still, it has destroyed more than 1 million jobs since 2012. The problems and their solutions are therefore also and especially to be found in France.
The President of the Republic and his government must take advantage of the last 18 months of this five-year term to carry out the structural reforms we need. I am thinking of the implementation of a single employment contract, the necessary rewrite of the labor code that no longer truly protects workers and does not encourage business leaders to create jobs. It is also necessary to end the 35-hour workweek to allow more flexibility and give precedence to company agreements over law.
As head of Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur, I will create a platform by April that will be available to entrepreneurs and job seekers to connect more effectively. This is also the sense of the lifelong training package I will create, which will be the means to put an end to the abnormal situation of a 12% unemployment rate and 25,000 unfilled job offers. I also request that the Region pilot employment policy from A to Z and be transferred management of the employment center.
Nice Premium: Are European countries capable of demonstrating that they can work together to manage immigration with order and dignity again?
CE: 2015 was a terrible year in terms of immigration. We witnessed heart-wrenching scenes of tragedy. French and German leaders were not up to the challenges. On one side, François Hollande accepted a policy of distributing migrants by quotas, while on the other, Angela Merkel gave the impression that we could accommodate everyone and eventually returned to a reasonable position.
We must set a principle: refugees should be welcomed because they are threatened in their countries. All rejected asylum seekers must be turned back at our borders. I even propose to go further and reverse the current logic. That asylum claims be made from the country of origin and only those whose claims are accepted have the right to come. As for economic migrants, we do not have the means to accommodate them.
It is also necessary to face the facts: Schengen in its current format is dead. As long as immigration policy is not coordinated at the European level, no viable solution is conceivable. We cannot accept that our country suffers from the immigration policies of countries less observing of their borders. I therefore request that it be the French parliament that defines annually the number of foreigners we are ready to accommodate.
Nice Premium: Can European military forces and intelligence services effectively collaborate to monitor the Mediterranean and combat the Islamic State organization?
CE: It is not a possibility, it is a duty. I do not want us to pass barbarism as an inheritance to our children. Therefore, European cooperation organizations must be strengthened. I think of Frontex or Europol, whose resources must be increased. What are their few million euros worth against Daesh’s billions?
But the Mediterranean is not the only gateway for terrorists. Air control must be reinforced, and the PNR vote, which will be submitted to the European parliament in February, must go through. I take this opportunity to denounce the irresponsibility of the National Front leaders who oppose the implementation of this tool, which is nevertheless essential to block the horror of terrorism in Europe.
The Paris attacks unfortunately demonstrated how significant data-sharing gaps existed between different European countries’ intelligence agencies. A genuine cooperation must be established, and without it, new tragedies will occur.
We are at war, and Europe must take responsibility and cannot indefinitely remain in denial of the terrorist threat we face!
Nice Premium: Will Europe be able to demonstrate enough positivity and flexibility to keep the United Kingdom within it?
CE: If the United Kingdom were to vote for its exit from the European Union, it would have dramatic effects on all forms of cooperation within the Union. And it would make us lose much influence.
No one wants to see the United Kingdom leave the European Union. For the economic power that the country represents, but also for the disastrous symbol its exit from the EU would represent. That of a Europe dissolving in crisis.
I wish for the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union but not at any price. The country already benefits from numerous advantages, and current discussions show great flexibility from various European leaders. The question is whether David Cameron will also demonstrate flexibility and not be swayed by the most eurosceptic wing of his party.
Nice Premium: Will Europe be able to remain true to its principles regarding Ukraine and Russia?
CE: Russia is a great country that deserves our respect and is an essential actor in international relations. It is an ally for France, notably in the fight against terrorism.
However, in the long term, our continent cannot escape a deep reflection on its foreign policy and the means that should accompany it. It tends to approach international relations only from the angle of its commercial policy, ignoring political consequences. The reasoning opposite must be promoted.
