14 May 2014

EV: French economy in focus in Commission presidency debate

The two main candidates to become the next president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker and Martin Schulz, held a televised debate in French, clashing over how much time France should be given to get its economic house in order.

The debate focused on the state of the French economy, and the two men were divided over how much time France should be given to get its house in order.

"There is no reason to extend the time for France", insisted Juncker, the candidate of the centre-right European People's Party. "But there will be a consideration of whether or not a delay could be granted, depending on the reforms that will be incurred. I will study the stability programme."

Schulz, the centre-left candidate, suggested that he would be more lenient with France as Commission president. "In case it is necessary, yes [the Commission] will provide additional time to France", he said. "This is why friends of Mr Juncker in Germany have called me a traitor. If France shows that with its measures we can reach stabilisation in France and Europe, and that it needs one more year, then the answer is yes."

Asked about the EU's criteria for deficit reduction, which stipulates that a country's deficit cannot be more than 3 per cent of its GDP, both candidates defended the threshold. The 3 per cent limit has been described by some French politicians as arbitrary.

The debate dealt with fewer legislative specifics than a televised debate in German involving the two men last week in Cologne. The French debate largely focused on the big issues causing anxiety for the French public – immigration, border control, the EU-US free-trade negotiations, and the crisis in Ukraine.

Both candidates adopted a slightly more sceptical tone toward the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), the free-trade deal being negotiated with the United States, than they did in their German debate. While the idea of a trade deal with the US is popular in Germany, it is unpopular in France.

The two candidates will participate in a Europe-wide debate with the other presidency candidates on 15 May. Also taking part are Guy Verhofstadt of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, José Bové of the Greens, and Alex Tsipras of the European United Left. It is the only debate in which Tsipras will participate.

Full article  (subscription)

© European Voice