for Thierry Breton, France is the “bad student in class” in Europe

Guest on BFMTV-RMC, former European Commissioner Thierry Breton estimated that France was “less heard” within the EU due to the situation of its public finances.

Does the French voice still carry in Europe? Shaken by political and economic uncertainty, France today seems weakened within the European Union. “When we are a founding country” of the EU, “we must respect the treaties, otherwise we are less heard,” warned former European Commissioner Thierry Breton on BFMTV-RMC this Monday morning.

“When we are at 113% debt, the rating agency Moody's sees us at 120% in two years and Germany is at 60%, yes, we are not respecting the treaties,” explained Thierry Breton , evoking the Treaty of Maastricht.

“A moral obligation”

“I experienced it when I was a minister myself [de l’Économie et des Finances entre 2005 et 2007, ndlr]. In meetings of finance ministers […]the one who was the bad student in the class, and today France is the bad student in the class for its public finances, we tell him 'you do the work at home and you talk afterwards', that's the situation”, he said. For the former European Commissioner for the Internal Market, the restoration of public finances and respect for the treaties is “an obligation for France to continue to be strong”, but also “a moral obligation “.

“In Europe, it is never the fault of others,” retorted Thierry Breton, pointing out France’s responsibility in this situation.

While he was preparing for a second term in Brussels, Thierry Breton slammed the door of the European Commission last September after a standoff with current President Ursula von der Leyen. “I estimated […] that the proposal which was made to France for its commissioner was not, in my opinion, appropriate in relation to the weight of France” and “I drew, as far as I am concerned, the conclusions”, a- he declared. “In view of what is happening today. […]I was probably not wrong to resign,” he said.

Franco-German couple

The former commissioner also regretted a “unbalanced” Franco-German couple at the moment. “We must ensure, in Europe, that we have a balance between all the member states,” said Thierry Breton, for whom the relationship between France and Germany “is essential” within the EU. But this Franco-German couple is today “too oriented towards Germany”, according to him.