Reaction to the President of the Republic’s interview by Brigitte FERRARI, head of République Solidaire for NICE and its region.
At a time when France is experiencing an unprecedented crisis, which is far from being merely temporary and requires profound changes to adapt to global developments, I believe it is crucial to choose a President of the Republic who rises to the occasion.
If France is stalled today, if our jobs are disappearing, if our deficits are widening, if inequalities are becoming glaring, it is because we have not made the right choices. The policy pursued by Nicolas SARKOZY has been a failure, and that’s serious. As a staunch advocate of extreme liberalism, he preferred to favor the affluent and his friends, dismantling public services, rather than pursuing a policy of general interest. He failed to see the dangers of globalization and the difficulties engendered by disproportionate public spending, preferring headline-grabbing announcements and half-hearted measures over genuine reforms.
Today, it is no longer possible for me to trust him. Even if he seems to be paving the way for German-style social democracy and a policy of stimulus through major works, particularly in housing where the needs are pressing, it will take time to ensure their implementation. It should also be noted that regarding his proposals on youth training, our country does not have the same traditions as Germany, and our education system, despite some attempts, has never fully recognized apprenticeship as a mode of training. It will require a great deal of education to revise a system that for too long has favored elitist paths.
The other announced measures, such as the increase in VAT or the tax on financial transactions, still not negotiated with Europe, lack a comprehensive study on the entirety of taxation. It is commendable to want to reduce labor costs by exempting employer contributions and funding social security through a 1.5-point increase in VAT, but some commentators, particularly Dominique de Villepin, have pointed out that this will not be enough.
These measures, which will not take effect until after the presidential elections, have more the appearance of an electoral program than measures taken by a President at the end of his term to address the situation. The change of direction in the policy confirms this analysis. For we could have adopted these measures much earlier as most of them are solutions already implemented by our main neighbor and client, Germany.
Although I feel, quite the contrary, no disdain for the success of our main partner in Europe and find it natural that we should draw inspiration from proven solutions, I cannot help but think, at a time when Europe needs a strong Franco-German partnership to continue moving forward, that our President offers us an image of evident weakness towards Germany. If Nicolas SARKOZY, who greatly admires the United States, long sought the attention of his big brother Barack OBAMA and led France into an unprecedented Atlanticist policy, he now gives the impression of needing even more support from a mother figure to help him through this difficult ordeal of regaining power. Poor France!
