Criticized by the President of the Republic for his lack of movement, the president of the informal body that gathers the finance ministers of the thirteen eurozone countries does not seem surprised by his fervor. The former Luxembourgish prime minister even prefers “his way of doing things to the diplomatic and hypocritical style” of his predecessors. For him, his style expresses strong European convictions, allowing progress in the right direction. The portrait is thus drawn and allows Europeans to better understand France’s discourse.
However, the former supervisor of the European Stability Pact does not yield to the commotion caused by the French president. He invites France to reduce its level of public spending, which is the highest in the European Union. With a GDP drop of 2.3% and a deficit of 41.7 billion euros, France has work ahead. The president will therefore have to ‘work harder’ to balance France’s accounts by 2012.
Too Ambitious?
Jean-Claude Juncker is not in favor of over-dramatizing France’s budget. It is in difficulty certainly, but he hopes for a return to normalcy within two years. Europe, on the other hand, does not seem ready to sound the alarm, but Nicolas Sarkozy will still have to pay attention to his ambitions. Proof, if needed, can be seen in his 2008 budget.
Nothing changes in this “budget of social and economic promotion.” This description, viewed by his prime minister François Fillon, clearly reflects his superior’s obligation.
Respond to the promises of the former candidate while reassuring his European counterparts. France is in trouble, but it’s only temporary. Nicolas Sarkozy is on the case.
