February 4, 2008
Ignoring the French people
How appropriate that the French parliament has approved the European Union’s Lisbon treaty in a special session at Versailles. By ignoring public opinion in this way, France’s politicians have proved themselves to be worthy heirs of Louis XIV.
The Lisbon treaty is essentially a repackaging of the European Union constitution that was decisively rejected in a referendum in France in 2005. As a defeated politician once put it - "The people have spoken, the bastards." But the newly-married President Sarkozy is not one to take rejection lying down. He has decided to push through the new treaty, without risking a second referendum. He argues that a second rejection would be disastrous for both France and the European Union.
Some French pro-Europeans are cheekily arguing that the parliamentary vote proves that "France" has had second thoughts. A Mr Giuliani of the Fondation Robert Schuman (I was wondering what had happened to him) is quoted in today’s FT as saying - "The French tasted isolation in Europe in recent years and they didn’t like it." Well, I’m sure Mr Giuliani didn’t like it. But what the French people themselves think, we will never know. Opinion polls show that well over 50% of them would like a second referendum on Lisbon. But France’s political elite is not going to make that mistake again.
It is a question of the merits of direct democracy versus the other kind of democracy. Does not the National Assembly represent France? Was not the national assembly elected by the French people?
Why did the framers of the American constitution devise the electoral college? Is Switzerland the only true democracy today? And if it is, who cares? The important thing is that the system is competitive, and that rules are obeyed, as Niall Ferguson explained in an interesting article last week in the FT. Giving the vote to every Huckabee or Bush supporter has not brought forth the best results. British PMs, on the other hand, are usually of a higher calibre than US presidents, and — thanks to your first-past-the-post system — never elected by a majority of citizens. Does that make a difference? I think only to the better.
Posted by: RCS | February 4th, 2008 at 6:56 pm | Report this commentRCS you always manage to be so incorrigibly snobbish. The French public has rejected the European constitutional treaty, apparently in your mind anyone who voted against the treaty are people like Huckabee or Bush supporters whose right to vote you question because their vote doesn’t give the “best results” i.e. their ideas do not correspond with your own Putinesque musings. Probably you would have enjoyed being in Versailles snubbing le peuple who are so below your station that they can’t possibly know what’s good for them. Today again you manage to complete your frolic with your typical baseless but entertainingly shorthsighted anti-American remark. UK PM’s are generally of a higher calibre than US presidents. These Americans are such louts aren’t they. They can’t even write a proper book, let alone manage to elect anyone of our caliber.
Posted by: felix drost, amsterdam | February 4th, 2008 at 7:16 pm | Report this commentDear Felix,
I don’t think I would have enjoyed being in Versailles — the French are such snobs!
And yes, there is a problem with my consistent anglophile attitude — perfidious Albion is so undeserving of it. In Ha’aretz’s latest weekend magazine there were new historical revelations concerning the Churchill and Atlee governments’ secret plans of 1944 - 1948 for a greater Syria including Lebanon, Palestine and Transjordan, of course under British tutelage, who were to be granted special concessions to exploit the region’s putative petroleum reserves. And for that they were willing to sacrifice the Christians in Lebanon and the Jews in Palestine!
Posted by: RCS | February 4th, 2008 at 7:53 pm | Report this commentYou must have felt right at home in the Attlee government, RCS; I am pleasantly surprised you’re taking my spirited pinching with such a sporting parry, thanks. I’m a snob as well but don’t wear it on my sleeve.
Interestingly and relevant to Versailles as well is that it wasn’t until Eden (Attlee and Eden not being such high caliber PM’s for that matter) that the message sank home. At Versailles delegates in the US and Arab missions wanted to recreate the Middle East in the image of the USA; a free federation of nations with equal rights for all minorities which would automatically gravitate towards association with the US and free trade (in oil). At the time with the breakup of the Ottoman empire that should have been the solution but since we (Europeans) had the facts on the ground history took a sad turn.
‘l Histoire se repete as Versailles is again the place where snobs screw the people and the hope progressives have for true liberal accountability in Europe.
Posted by: felix drost, amsterdam | February 4th, 2008 at 9:23 pm | Report this commentAccording to the latest polls (Feb1/2) by Institute LH2, published in today’s Figaro:
http://www.lefigaro.fr/politique/2008/02/03/01002-20080203ARTFIG00145-sarkozy-chute-de-points-dans-un-sondage.php
84% of the people of France are not satisfied with what is happening with their purchasing power, 75% are dissatisfied with the growth of the economy whereas 68% have no confidence in the chief of state.
If we were living in Ancient Athens or in some Renaissance city state Sarkozy would have been thrown out of office by now.
The sutuation in today’s France is symptomatic of similar developments in the rest of Europe:
In Germany in the state elections of Hesse and Lower Saxony Angela Merkel had substantial losses whereas strikes in various sectors are now fetching 8-9% increases.
The root of all these events is the disconnect between the population and its governing elites.
It is the case with almost all european states.
We are reaching an inflection point toward new political arrangements.
For those of you who think that the UK is immune
Posted by: Cassandra | February 4th, 2008 at 9:26 pm | Report this commentconsider Nick Davies’ “Our Media have become mass producers of distorsion”:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2251982,00.html
Only the Irish can save us now…
Posted by: AYC | February 5th, 2008 at 9:44 am | Report this commentIf we’re going to look at opinion polls then it’s equally clear that the issues that France voted ‘non’ to were not the ones in the constitution - the campaign was more about polish workers, an unpopular government and the services directive than extended qualified majority voting and an EU President…
…for all his faults, Sarko made his position plain during his election campaign and was voted into power, so he does have a mandate…
…the Irish change-around over the Nice Treaty is often cited as proof that governments ‘keep asking the question until they get the right answer’, but the mere fact that this can happen proves the flaw in the argument for referendums. Very many voters vote on current, domestic issues rather than the particulars of the treaty.
Posted by: Dave | February 5th, 2008 at 10:07 am | Report this commentFor a precedent I share RCS´s view on this issue. In a Parliamentary Democracy the Parliament represents the People who elect their representatives.
Really the European Constitutional Treaty never was a true Constitution even if it was signed by all Heads of Government and Heads of State of the European Union including the Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Tony Blair. All them signed the Treaty…
And the present Lisbon Treaty is even farther away from any kind of Constitution. Just another international Treaty.
Much more important in European History has been the Masstricht Treaty approved by the Tories (Major) in the UK and which established the foundation of the Euro and the European citizenship.
The present Lisbon Treaty means a setback on certain European issues but consolidates broadly what was got in the past adding an step forward towards European Democracy.
I am sure all democrats in Europe will support any step forward which can lead towards a democratic European Union with an elected President.
Next January 1st.2009 the UK will have a representative in the Executive Board of the European Central Bank (E.C.B.) and the U.K. will have an important say in the build-up of the $250 bn. European Defense Budget so much divided right now, in the creation of a European Energy policy and in the increasing cooperation of Euroepean secret services…
Nothing can be done if the UK continues outside of the Eurozone.
Posted by: Enrique | February 5th, 2008 at 1:39 pm | Report this comment[…] Thus it should come as no big surprise that the word ‘No’ does not exist in the European political lexicon. After voters in France and the Netherlands rejected the European Constitution (of which the Lisbon Treaty is an almost exact replica) in 2005, European elites famously advised the miscreants to keep voting until they come up with the right answer. […]
Posted by: Why Irish Voters Rejected the Lisbon Treaty : Soeren Kern, Strategic Insights Into America, Europe and the Transatlantic Relationship | June 30th, 2008 at 10:41 pm | Report this comment