Nice Premium: What kind of Europe do you aspire to?
Françoise Grossetête: I aspire to a political Europe to make it more united, more assertive, and more reactive in everyone’s interest. Europe must act like a major power that is not ashamed to defend its values by protecting its interests on the international stage against the unfair competition of some countries. Under French Presidency, Europe was able to react quickly to prevent bank failures and to coordinate the efforts of Eurozone leaders. Nicolas Sarkozy has shown that Europe can act and protect when it is led. I also aspire to a Europe that promotes a real industrial policy in favor of employment in industrial areas affected by the crisis and that it regains the audacity to build major technological and industrial projects on a continental scale. It is with this political will and with our investments today that we will be able to develop a new green growth based on innovation and develop technologies, sources of competitiveness and jobs for our continent.
NP: What does your list propose for this election?
F.G: We first propose a presidential majority list that brings together various political sensitivities, an open list that is not limited to UMP candidates. These lists, across France, are the result of a desire for renewal, diversity, openness, union of the Presidential Majority, and the broadest possible territorial representation. We propose a committed Europe to support the fight against climate change, international terrorism, outsourcing, and to defend employment by applying social, industrial, and ecological competition rules at the international level based on reciprocity. We also believe that the European Union must establish borders, as not all countries in the world are meant to join it, starting with Turkey.
NP: European elections often suffer from a high rate of abstention. How do you explain this?
F.G: Abstention is not inevitable, but it is clear that the French never make mistakes in elections. If they are talked about Europe, if we can mobilize for a Europe that is closer, protective, and more daring, there will be less abstention. This also means that the messages must be completely turned towards Europe, as exemplified by the UMP-Presidential Majority lists. During my campaign in the Southeast, I felt, contrary to what I hear here and there, a real interest in Europe. Indeed, citizens turned out in large numbers at the various meetings organized by my fellow candidates and me across all 16 departments of the Southeast.
NP: What do you intend to do to give citizens a better view of Europe?
F.G: We first need our local elected officials and national parliamentarians to highlight more the benefits of the European Union when it finances such and such a project in their community. Then, all MEPs must be more accountable for their actions. This will also involve a more European treatment of news by the media. Many developments in Nice and the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region would not have been possible without the aid of the European Union, yet who knows about it? I am thinking, for example, of the splendid new Marseille Saint Charles station, which benefited from European funding. The European Union is a real added value and should be perceived as an opportunity rather than a constraint.
NP: What do you think of the Treaty of Lisbon?
F.G: I am in favor of the Treaty of Lisbon, which will enable Europe to be better governed, in a more effective and democratic manner. The Treaty also strengthens the European Parliament, and we will be able to better make Europe’s voice heard in the world. The Treaty of Lisbon is necessary but not sufficient. The action of the presidential majority will embody in the European Parliament the political voluntarism essential to the European Union. Moreover, if the Treaty of Lisbon comes into force, the European Parliament will co-decide on an equal footing with the EU Council of Ministers on all agricultural legislative acts. This is important because MEPs will be able to engage in this crucial debate on the Common Agricultural Policy, whereas currently MEPs have only a consultative role on this community legislation. It will then be essential to defend particularly the maintenance of production activities in fragile territories, particularly in grassland and mountain areas, and to encourage environmentally friendly agriculture.
