Ironically the success of Europe is sham

The French Presidency of the Union is an undeniable success. Not one European leader who denies, except perhaps the Eurosceptic Czech Vaclav Klaus, not a MEP who challenges. Even the public seems to be more lenient on Europe. Ensommeillée and as shot by the last "non-" Irish, in June, at the Treaty of Lisbon, the Union appeared before the summer, be condemned to stagnation. Six months after, she is out of its torpor. It is again active on the international scene and has shown the way to the rest of the world in the fight against climate change.

Both serious and unexpected events yet threatened to upset the calendar of the French Presidency: in August, the conflict in Georgia and, a few weeks later, the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the financial tsunami that resulted in it. Against all odds, Europe was in the appointment. In a few days, she tore a ceasefire to Russian President Dimitri Medvedev. She was then able to respond to the financial crisis, more quickly than the United States.

Ironically, the success of Europe is sham. The truth is that of a man, Nicolas Sarkozy, who played its partition in solo, taking care, every time, then associate the European Orchestra. When Russian troops approaching Tbilisi, it takes only, the decision to fly for a brief visit to Moscow.

Twenty-seven more had then to congratulate a President also reactive. Similar scenario during the financial crisis: as soon as the first symptoms, Nicolas Sarkozy organized burnouts, mobilizing all possible instances and inventing others, to avoid the worst: a collapse of the financial system. It convenes in early October, in any emergency, four Europeans of the G7 in the Elysee Palace, without consulting the Community bodies, to prepare a common response: pragmatism triumphed over Community decency. It is still his only head decided a few days later together, for the first time in its history, a Summit of the countries of the euro area, to build the plan out of the crisis of the twenty-seven.

Each time, Nicolas Sarkozy is working to speak for Europe, taking to witness his faithful tenure, José Manuel Barroso, success, but rarely in its preparations... too much content and prepare his second term at the head of the Commission.

This constructive impatience, frenzied activism have advances sustainable Europe In any case, they caused collateral damage. The Franco-German relationship has never been as bad. The method to be roughly of the President faced. Jean-Claude Trichet, President of the European Central Bank, made the charges, the first, back in thanks. Jean-Claude Juncker, the President of the Eurogroup, followed and remains for the time being, in the hollow of a wave. Commissioner Nellie Kroes also have to fold after the ire of Paris, accusing him of dogmatism at the time when European banks had to be helped.

The absence of a prior dialogue is at the origin of many of the misunderstandings. For example, the Union for the Mediterranean, designed by the Elysee Palace, was first rejected by the Chancellor, who the French President had failed to explain his project. The idea of holding regular summits of the Eurogroup was torpedoed by a Jean-Claude Juncker who would probably agreed to soon that he has been consulted.

More serious, the weakening of the Commission. It was relegated to the role of mere secretariat of the Presidency, while the treaties conferred an exclusive right of initiative. In Brussels Friday, the head of State proposed a different vision of the role of this institution. A Commission comprising one representative of each Member State seems essential so that Governments can be heard their interests. At the risk of killing a certain European spirit. During his presidency, he vampirisé the Commission to better dominate.

This presidential regime imposed by Nicolas Sarkozy, him will survive It would mean that his successors are evidence of the same political voluntarism, this is far from clear, with the next presidencies Czech and Swedish. According to him, his success calls for the rapid designation of a permanent President of the Union, the Treaty of Lisbon. But this perspective condemns the Commission minimum portion.

The French Presidency will toggles institutions European on the States, more and more powerful. If Europe is deprived of its main source of inspiration: focus on the common interest, the Sarkozy rally was a pretexting.