Ministers of La République continue to engage in incendiary language and actions. La French letter’

La ‘French letter’ that leaked: Macron’s PM says ‘It is essential to make Brexit damaging’

Hostile, vindictive, and bitter — Is this how Macron wishes France to be seen globally?

The incendiary language, messages, and actions of senior ministers in President Macron’s French government are continuing unabated. The latest outburst came yesterday with a letter sent by the French Prime Minister, Jean Castex, to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, in which he stated. “It is essential to make clear to European public opinion that compliance with the commitments entered into is non-negotiable and that leaving the Union is more damaging than remaining in it.”

President Macron’s appointee as French Prime Minister, Jean Castex, extract from a letter to EU Commission President, 29 Oct 2021

The French letter that leaked

This French letter immediately leaked, naturally, and it can leave no doubt in the minds of neutral observers of the veracity of Brexiteers’ assertions over the last five years that the EU’s agenda is to punish the British people for voting to leave the EU empire.

Readers will note Monsieur Castex’s instruction to Frau von der Leyen regarding propaganda — something at which the EU Commission has become an expert over the years. He urges her to “make [it] clear to European public opinion” in what appears to be a clumsy attempt to tie in France’s claims against the UK with the wider cause, dear to the Commission’s heart, that citizens of EU member states must be made to love the EU and to fear leaving it.

The French PM’s letter comes on top of a string of hostile statements and actions in days and weeks against the UK by the French Government. France attempted to persuade the EU Council (the 27 leaders of EU member countries) to back its position but to no avail. Undaunted, President Macron has clearly decided that France will go it alone and try to ‘bounce’ the rest of the EU into joining or at least supporting it.

‘Pile tu gagnes, face tu gagnes’ — Heads you win, tails you win

If this strategy fails, Emmanuel Macron can still gain a political advantage. In his upcoming battle in April next year for a second term as President, Monsieur Macron is facing challengers who are promoting the idea of France being sovereign over EU law. In an act of brazen hypocrisy, one such challenger is a certain Michel Barnier, architect of the contested UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement, fresh from having preached to the UK for years that EU law is sacrosanct.

Given the rhetoric from Michel Barnier, Eric Zemmour, Marine Le Pen and other challengers, if President Macron is seen to be taking unilateral action in defiance of the EU, he may consider that this will not hurt his re-election chances du tout.

Talking of EU law and leaks, another EU prophylactic to stop Brexit Britain…

Yesterday evening the BBC obtained a copy of an EU memo following the latest talks about resolving the Northern Ireland Protocol problem.

In it, the Commission side (represented by Maroš Šefčovič) re-confirms that they will not budge on the question of EU law being dominant in part of the supposedly-sovereign United Kingdom.

Photo left: Lord Frost with the EU’s Maroš Šefčovič yesterday

Given the contents of this EU memo, it would seem that Lord Frost and the UK government have no choice other than to invoke Article 16 of the N.I. Protocol.

There appears to be no end to the drip, drip, drip of French government hostility towards its northern neighbour and largest world export market after the USA.

The latest Parisian move does have one bonus, however. The French letter that leaked is further proof, if it were needed, that it is the EU’s intention to ensure that not only must it punish the British people for leaving its empire, but that Brexit must be seen to damage the UK, “pour encourager les autres”.

I do have one question for the French people

Is this how French citizens wish France to be portrayed on the world stage by their President — vindictive, hostile, and bitter?

Is it helpful for President Macron’s ministers to be making incendiary statements, to issue threats that would seem to contravene international law if carried out, and to give provocative interviews to the media — all on a daily basis?

The EU and its Commission have already shown their immediate willingness to act against the UK on almost any pretext — real or imagined. If the EU Council is not backing the French government’s claims, this must surely give some credence to the possibility that this has all been dreamt up as a stunt to gain voter support for a fairly unpopular French President.

The rivalry will always characterise the relationship between two important nations such as France and the United Kingdom. Can we not keep this rivalry on a level more in keeping with that on display when the two countries meet each other annually at the Stade de France or Twickenham?

[ Sources: EU Commission | EU Council | Jessica Parker BBC Brussels | DT ]