Wednesday 1 July revealed the gap that now separates France from Germany on the Greek case. Arriving at Lyon earlier this afternoon, François Hollande explained facing camera: “We must be clear: the agreement is now. It’s been so long since we spoke of this agreement, he must come. “
Earlier, German Chancellor Angela Merkel had said exactly the opposite before the Parliament:” We expect the referendum, no discussion of a new aid program can not take place before. “
The Eurogroup follows the German point of view
And this is the German point of view that prevailed. Wednesday evening, following a conference call of finance ministers of the euro zone, the Eurogroup President, the Dutchman Jeroen Dijsselbloem, announced that there would be no negotiations with the Greeks before know the outcome of Sunday’s election wanted by Alexis Tsipras. Despite the request of the Greek Prime Minister of a new 30 billion aid package over two years, with a commitment to achieve the latest proposals from European reforms, with some exceptions.
Beyond the strategy of divergence, the two leaders, often considered as the engine of European construction, could not help but tackle each other. For the German chancellor, “the future of Europe is not in play.” Rather, “a good European is not the one seeking a compromise at any cost. A good European is one that respects the treaties and national laws and ensures that the stability of the eurozone is not damaged “
Holland.” I’m not in peremptory assertions “
Indirect replica of Francois Hollande:” As a European, I do not mean the breakup of the euro zone, and I’m not in peremptory assertions in the brutal ruptures. I think we must always seek the agreement, negotiation, reason. Is it still necessary that everyone is satisfied! “Before castigating those who would oppose ending the crisis:” France, she is fighting, it is not in the veto, it is not in brutality. “It could not be clearer …
Paris is annoyed indeed to see a part of Europe be as inflexible. After all, what is the integrity of the euro area compared to differences over hundreds of millions or billions of fiscal adjustment? “I want that we get out of the crisis stronger [...] and that we can defend our values convincingly” in the world. “It is what it is, no differences over 400 million or 1.5 billion or 2 billion,” replied Angela Merkel.
“No global agreement negotiated”
Since the beginning of the crisis, France is presented as a link between the most intransigent countries (Germany, but also – and perhaps especially – Finland and the countries of the East) and the Greek government, which combines the radical left Syriza to the nationalist right. The French finance minister, Michel Sapin, constantly weighs the respect of the Greek democratic choice and the need to respect the rules of the euro area. And he called for a “comprehensive agreement”, that is to say including a new relief the enormous government debt (over 175% of GDP). Not by abandoning outright debt – it would be too hard to take for the French taxpayer -., But at least by a further postponement or lower interest
But the fragile crest of a struggling to win. The Eurogroup has refused to frankly open the question of debt as Athens had not committed previously on the continuation of fiscal consolidation and reforms that accompany it. This is also one of the main Greek arguments to justify the breakdown of negotiations and the announcement of a referendum late last week, although Michel Sapin ensures that his vision had finally prevailed among the finance ministers. He was obviously too late.
Pressure of the left
Now, Germany and France defending two opposing visions. For the first, on the whole, it is better to cut the infected branch, rather than let contaminate the trunk. For the second, it must at all costs find a compromise because a Greek exit would be a disaster for the euro area, not economic (the “firewall” have been erected since the beginning of the crisis), but political or even geopolitical.
This analysis is largely supported the Socialist Party, for which the euro area must above all show solidarity while the Greeks have made huge fiscal efforts. On Thursday, President of the National Assembly, Claude Bartolone, has simply called “fault” the refusal of Germany to resume negotiations on the basis of the latest Greek proposals. Like many on the left, the presidential candidate of the Ile-de-France region believes that without Greece, “Europe would no longer be completely Europe.”
No comments:
Post a Comment