: 2012 2007 On this day back to school, I wish to share with you the excellent forum Edouard Balladur , Former Prime Minister published in the columns of Le Figaro in late summer (August 26, 2010) on the current political situation.
You will find these lines in the solution to the ills of our society. Clear thinking, a vision, a willingness to bring the French together.
You will understand the pride that is mine to have served for many years this great statesman.
2012 will not 2007
by Edouard Balladur, former Prime Minister
The world is changing even faster than expected. Globalization has made the general consequences of the financial crisis. France, like Europe, has struggled: the inadequate growth, the dynamism of breath, rising unemployment, government deficits worse, society torn by the tension of the spirits. For three years, many reforms have been completed, commitments kept. Others are critical, France is not yet off the hook.
The situation in 2012 will be much different than it was in 2007, leaving the power was declining, the current one is still full of ambition, the hope of finding increased activity through deep reforms was so reasonable. must now overcome the effects of a global crisis that has worsened while; it was to close a period with a new project. This will justify a balance sheet but also to devise a program for subsequent years.
This is only possible through membership of the French, putting an end to ambiguities which might suggest that adds the contrary: the economic role State should be magnified, or should we worry about the explosion of deficits and remedy by implementing fiscal discipline? The French social model, the most advanced in the world we are told, he helped us not to sink too deeply into the crisis, or delays in he discharge? Should we change it or keep it untouchable? Should we release the energies to regain momentum, or consider as final the fact that France spends 35% of the wealth produced each year to finance the welfare state? Can we expect out of structural unemployment other than the allocation of public funds and huge, as was said, pay for reform is not a luxury that France can still afford? How can the strengthening of identity and cohesion with the nation with the celebration of diversity and respects to the particularities of all kinds? Are there any new loss of sovereignty that European states must consent to their union so that it is finally recognized as a major player in world affairs?
should be chosen while rejecting the conformism of thought, right and left. The preparation of the great debate of 2012 requires that in the coming months, a number of initiatives to be taken and labeled directions.
Led by Nicolas Sarkozy, the current government has done useful work and undertaken significant reforms in many areas. should be grateful to him. Start a new period, which must both ensure the implementation of what has been decided to improve the balance sheet which will be presented to the French in 2012 and the reforms set to perform during the next five years.
For this is a deeply renewed necessary who has time to make his evidence in eighteen months ahead, a government tightened with strong personalities and that we should fear neither the influence nor the prestige, quite the contrary. It is desirable to maintain the opening, which is essential to the widest possible gathering, since it has appealed to persons whose competence and authority are recognized, and it does not, for the sake of compromise, a mix of contradictory policies.
The actions required, many of which have already been committed, to get France out of the difficulty, the effort must be accentuated.
Above all, we must find economic growth , whose growth rate, the highest in Europe in 1975, has ceased to decline, due to government deficits, levies too heavy, the loss of competitiveness, weakening the industry. Lower deficits and debt is incurred, it must be continued. Can this be achieved by reducing spending or raising taxes, willingly presented as "inevitable"? The most dangerous for growth is higher taxes, and often those who advocates fear that the decline in public spending renders mandatory the reform of French economic and social, that they would consecrate. That cost reduction is a priority, even if the reduction of tax loopholes is really necessary and whether it would be desirable to question some cuts VAT, eg in restaurants, remember that the public accounts contain dozens billions of euros in subsidies and allowances of all kinds, often questionable usefulness, such as 20 billion allocated to firms in return for an obligation that was thought abolished, to reduce working hours to 35 hours, not to mention the elimination of advertising on public television, offset by budgetary subsidies.
reform the welfare state is an urgent need . The weight of social transfers is one of the heaviest in the world. Today, most new measures presented as social progress is financed by public debt further ; the coup, the competitiveness of companies is reached, growth is declining, employment is weakening. We must resolutely reject the use of certain habits the past, when presidential campaigns were models of electoral demagogy effect immediately happy for their author, to disastrous effect in the medium term for the country. We support the heavy consequences of lowering the retirement age and working hours. Adopt a principle: no new social measure, including dependence on the elderly, should not lead to additional public levy, as was the case with the RIAA, but instead be funded by savings on other expenditure categories social.
We will not get out of the impasse in which we have locked up for decades without the increased ease of working time, streamlining social benefits, some of which have hardly any justification. Imitate the courage of the Germans , which we now see the good effects. It is a huge effort to do the whole widespread mentality in French society to change. If the same change in mindset can take steps to encourage entrepreneurship, investment, innovation, training, research so that the dynamism of everyone to express themselves freely, while increasing production and employment will be down the road.
For years, respect for human rights and freedoms is the subject of constant controversy. It is high time to stop it, to ensure that our justice system enjoys both a sustainable stability and wider membership, that will ensure freedom and security for all in more satisfactory conditions. But there is equally urgent: respect for people should stop being threatened by modern techniques of instantaneous dissemination of information often false, and never denied by their authors . It is a risk throughout the world. There would be a matter for national dialogue and international, in good faith, would better protect the dignity of each.
The French company is currently experiencing a crisis of identity . She feels threatened by economic decline, unemployment, insecurity, weakened adherence to the nation and its values always. Suddenly, the excessive immigration is questioned, whether from European countries that joined EU enlargements during hasty and poorly organized, which provide to their residents freedom of movement, or whether it comes from African and Muslim mores and beliefs different from the traditional and most commonly practiced in France in Europe. These are facts, they can be recalled without being suspected to discredit anyone or infringe the rights of man.
No remedy this dangerous situation is not simple nor obvious, nor universally accepted. It is necessary and difficult to accommodate both a certain level of immigration and preserve the traditional character of the nation to combine organizing some form of affirmative action to promote better integration and application of zero tolerance for those who violate the common law. The right and duty of integration of immigrant men must take precedence over praise diversity. We are scared that some institutions may recommend that in order to avoid any hint of discrimination, the history books continue to mention that the French have long been and still are predominantly Catholic. Would you feed xenophobic reactions that would not be better.
However, we must keep a spirit of moderation and avoid exaggerations detrimental to the traditions of freedom and universalism which the prestige of France in the world: it is helpful to better manage, even if limited necessary immigration and it is legitimate to deprive of French nationality as is already required by law those who have recently acquired and who commit heinous crimes, provided that any extension of the scope of application is limited to strictly defined cases, exceptional and fully justified, it is desirable to review some cases of automatic acquisition of citizenship and replaced, where possible, a personal manifestation of will.
But that's another subject, I am totally opposed to the criminal liability of parents because of crimes committed by their minor children, it would be contrary to all the French liberal tradition, which prohibits the responsibility of others, I do not see either on the basis of what legal basis and what criteria could be indisputable sanction mayors that he would be reproached for not meeting their obligations on security. For once, let the measure.
In Western Europe, public opinion twitch, worry about the sustainability of national traditions is spreading. We must address this concern by focusing on ensuring both individual liberty, public order, safeguarding the nation.
Too often, the EU gives the image of disability, struggling to reach a common desire to have more influence on world affairs. Power is dispersed among institutions rival, crumbled between Member States and not too many all decided to move forward together, so they must make critical decisions unanimously. The imagination and dynamism of the current French president a bit obscure reality, it has succeeded in recent years to gather the Twenty-Seven in difficult circumstances, allowing Europe to be more assertive.
But we must think of sustainable solutions : EU should it become a center of real decision, to compete with the other three or four existing in the world, or should it remain a forum for dialogue to slow and confusing decision, simply entitled to decide for a large economic market? Therefore, France, to which the EU provides extra influence, should it, relying more on its own strength to be resigned to weaken this influence? To begin, it is time to delay any further enlargement, both the Union and the euro area, to extend the rule of the majority, as is the case with money to new areas, all cases between states committed to move forward together.
The Europe of twenty-seven can operate seamlessly and efficiently if we do not review the rules also affect the weighting of votes each state, there also is the reality principle which is the prevail. But who does not see the seriousness of the decisions that will be considered a new breach in the principle of national sovereignty? Difficult choice, which already must be considered, debated.
The need for financial and economic coordination that arises Globally, the creation of a stable international monetary system and fair, which will be discussed in 2011 at the initiative of French President raises similar issues. If you want to avoid repeated crises, we must agree to adopt common rules and accept a world authority enforces them and punish excesses. We're nowhere near that.
Many reforms have been made since 2007 with great merit. Those that remain to be at least as important.
Is it possible to build support of the French election time? I think so. Stung by so many disappointments, the redesign of many promises, the French have not forgotten how some campaigns of the past have been marked by unbridled demagoguery, they crave sincerity. They can gather the truth. We must offer them an ambition that exalts them, calling them a spirit of conquest so that our country overcomes the shortcomings that could push it into the quagmire, encourage them to see the real world as it is, to love their country enough to feel responsible for his fate. It is advisable to take the risk.
