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Ségolène Royal has taken the Socialist Party of France by storm, handily winning official nomination last weekend as presidential candidate in next spring’s election. The slim and attractive 53-year-old overcame (occasionally disdainful) opposition from the party’s old guard, in her view motivated largely by male chauvinism, to earn 60% of votes cast by members. She is the first woman to win a major party’s nomination for president of France.
In an interview given hours after she was nominated, one of Ms Royal’s closest advisors said it is her position that Britain must choose between the European Union and the United States. In her view, apparently, the UK cannot be close friends and allies of both.
Gilles Savary, a French MEP and her spokesman and foreign affairs adviser, spoke exclusively to The Daily Telegraph, revealing her EU policies in detail.
He set out a vision of an ambitious new EU treaty, replacing the EU constitution which has been in limbo since French and Dutch voters voted against it last summer.
Britain would be asked to sign up to the new treaty, but if it rejected calls for increased protectionism, an EU foreign minister, convergence on tax rates and moves to create a European army, then France and her allies would agree a treaty among themselves, he said.
Tony Blair's successor as prime minister, whether Gordon Brown or David Cameron, now faces an inevitable crisis over Europe after France chooses its next leader in April.
. . .
"Great Britain is absolutely indispensable to the European Union. It is great nation, a global power. But the question the English have to answer is – do the English consider the English Channel to be wider than the Atlantic? We on the continent have the right to deplore the fact that Great Britain appears to consider the Channel is wider," he said.
Mr Savary sees three “clubs” in the EU: an "ultra-Atlanticist" club, led by Great Britain; an “unfortunate” nationalist club centred in eastern Europe; and a club of European unity, led by France, Germany, Italy, and Spain.
Nicolas Sarkozy will almost certainly be Ms Royal’s main opponent for president. His centre-right Union for a Popular Majority (UMP) party will officially designate its candidate in January.
Whoever wins will face the challenge of reversing France’s economic decline and attending to turmoil arising from communities of immigrants and their descendants who are procreating much more quickly than native Europeans. The French secular state model will be sorely tested. So far, however, Ms Royal seems more concerned with putting the English in their place.
Previous related post: Britain coming to share France’s view of Muslim veils: Villepin
[...] Even if the French are being a tad melodramatic, the poor economic mood has already affected the presidential race between Socialist candidate Ségolène Royal and Nicolas Sarkozy of the centre-right. Both pledge to tackle heavy taxation and generous welfare benefits, as only the French can. More of the same! They are . . . promising good old French remedies: more taxes, more welfare spending and more restrictions on the private sector. They are also both blaming Europe for France's woes. [...]
[...] UK must choose between EU and US: French presidential candidate [...]
[...] Segolene blunders again By StatGuy The French presidential election campaign is not going well for Ségolène Royal, in part because she has acquired a reputation for political gaffes. It has now emerged that Ms Royal was fooled by a French comedian pretending to be Quebec premier Jean Charest. Gerald Dahan — who is seen as close to Royal's right-wing rival Nicolas Sarkozy — told French radio he called her on Wednesday claiming to be Quebec Premier Jean Charest, to discuss a row over comments in which she appeared to back independence for the French-speaking Canadian province. [...]
[...] Only one French voter in three finds S?©gol?®ne more credible By StatGuy A series of political gaffes and blunders has taken a toll on Ségolène Royal's quest to be elected president of France. The latest poll shows her opponent Nicolas Sarkozy widening his lead. It gets worse. In almost every question in the poll, Ms Royal trailed her main rival, the interior minister Nicolas Sarkozy from the ruling conservative UMP party. Mr Sarkozy's campaign was more "solid" (57 per cent against 25 per cent for Ms Royal); he was more "precise" (52 per cent to 23 per cent); and he was more credible (45 per cent to 31 per cent). . . .After months of running neck and neck, Mr Sarkozy is now pulling ahead, despite accusations that he is employing smear tactics. [...]
[...] Lib?©ration: S?©go is toast By StatGuy The leftist French daily Libération has already called the winner in tomorrow’s presidential election, and it’s doesn’t look good for Socialist candidate Ségolène Royal. The headline reads, “Pour Sarkozy, c'est déjà lundi” (“For Sarkozy, it’s already Monday”). [...]