The French EU Presidency: A Dizzying Ride Through Rocky Times

“France is back in Europe,“ president Nicolas Sarkozy rejoiced after the French parliament had adopted a law enabling him to ratify the Lisbon Treaty. Now politics had to be put back into Europe, he added, and presented an ambitious agenda for the French EU presidency. Shortly afterwards all hell broke loose: The Irish voted against the Lisbon Treaty, Georgia and Russia got involved in a military conflict over South Ossethia and a financial crisis shook up the whole world. Nicolas Sarkozy took all challenges in his stride and brought Europe back on the global stage. His energy was much admired, often appreciated, just as often resented. After having offended predecessor Germany in the run-up to the French presidency on several occasions, the Spanish by not inviting them to his G4 meeting and Commission president Barroso by outmanoeuvring him whenever it seemed appropriate, Sarkozy managed to enrage his successors, the Czechs and the Swedes, by an attempt to “siphon” (Václav Klaus) their presidencies. He also angered many other member states by suggesting that countries belonging to the euro zone plus the UK should form an “emergency economic government” with himself at its head for the next twelve months. In the meantime, he convoked and participated in a dizzying number of summits and meetings and got things done. In short, in six months of French presidency, there was never a dull moment. Yet, once the dust has settled, what are the sustainable results, how many bruises will show, what exactly does the parting package handed over to the Czechs contain and will they be able to handle it?

Speakers:
- Antonio Missiroli, Director of Studies, European Policy Centre
- Maxime Lefèbvre, Counsellor External Relations, Permanent Representation of France to the EU

Moderator:
Marianne Ebertowski, Director Foreign and Security Policy, EU Regional Office Heinrich Böll Stiftung Brussels