After controversy and mediocre at best a few misunderstandings, we must acknowledge the political change in the euro area conducted this summer under the leadership of Nicolas Sarkozy and Chancellor Angela Merkel. Once again, it faces its most serious problems that Europe is taking its greatest progress.
After the 2008 financial crisis, Europe has faced since last year in a sovereign debt crisis that is partly rooted in the first. Some countries have seen their debt rise significantly because of the money committed to bail out large parts of their financial sector they have decided to nationalize. This is not the case of France, who withdrew 2.7 billion euros of its plan to support the banking sector. The impact of financial crisis on the real economy have also weighed on state budgets.The current difficulties are also punished too complacent management of public finances, with the vote for decades of budget deficit and rising debt.
This crisis is not unique to the euro zone, whose levels of debt and deficit, relative to the size of its economy, are lower than those of the United States or Japan. But markets have begun to test its strength and cohesion. Appropriate responses are partly national.
Spain and Italy have in recent weeks strong measures. Without being affected by financial stress comparable to other countries have taken appropriate action.
From 2007, France decided to apply the rule of non-replacement of an official two. A path of public finances has been defined, which provides for the return to a deficit of 3% in 2013 and is intangible.For the first time in 2010, spending on Medicare have remained within the limits set earlier this year. Pension reform has also strengthened our financial statements in the long term.
Nobody has the right to lie to the French on the efforts that we must make.No one can return to these measures to ensure financial and social sovereignty.
Appropriate responses are also European.
A fierce solidarity between Member States of the euro zone must win against the selfish temptations or protectionist.
With the creation of the European financial stability, the effective capacity of intervention was increased to 440 billion euros, then the decision July 21 to expand its missions in a preventive role, the Heads of State and Government of the euro area set up in a few months a true European Monetary Fund. It demonstrated its flexibility and means that interventions are tailored to the leads.
Some advocate the creation of European bonds, the "Eurobonds", they present as a panacea.But they forget to say that this would increase the cost of the French debt and could even jeopardize its credit rating. Above all, they pretend to believe that this solution may be considered now as an immediate response to market disturbances.
How to accept today the pooling of public debt through Eurobonds, while the decision to spend public money is taken in each Member State? How to separate the financial responsibility for the management decision?
It is clear that in practice eurobonds can be achieved without considerable strengthening of fiscal discipline and economic governance within the euro area. This means they pass through an integration which there is currently no political consensus.In this regard, I find it ironic that some criticize the initiatives through which we move, but called for the establishment of eurobonds.
The adoption by the Member States of the euro area of a balanced budget rule with constitutional and binding on the annual budget, as proposed by the President of the Republic and the German Chancellor to their counterparts, will s ensure that everyone present as soon as possible accounts tending toward equilibrium. This will give the length of sanitation in the country finance in the euro zone credibility that will restore confidence and to discourage speculation. It would be wrong not to adopt it for the future in all Member States of the euro area. France must, on this issue, set an example.It is in the national interest.
This collective discipline would be meaningless without a collective ambition for growth. The growth in Europe requires an investment in fixed intelligence and knowledge economy. With the tripling of the tax credit research and investment program for the future is the strategy adopted by France. It also requires a better orientation of the Cohesion Fund and European Structural Funds.
In addition, a new step is necessary in the economic integration of countries in the euro area. France defends years the creation of a European economic government. It is proposed that the President of the Republic and the German Chancellor.
Seventeen countries can make the choice to adopt a single currency without incurring a movement of reconciliation of their economies, their tax systems and their social models.France and Germany have always been the motors of European integration. This week with Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel, both countries have decided to take the next step, including the creation by 2013 of a common corporate tax. On the eve of 50th anniversary of the Elysée Treaty, by which General de Gaulle and Chancellor Adenauer to seal the reconciliation between our two countries, France and Germany show their will to strengthen their convergence and start a new governance European.
Given the magnitude of these challenges, I appeal to the unity and sense of responsibility of all political parties.
Constrained by its primary, the opposition seems to say no in advance, regardless of the question. Yet there is the Socialist Party of economists and officials informed sincere.Unfortunately, while the president and German Chancellor put all their credibility in the balance to defend our currency and that the policy we conduct ensures the maintenance of the rating in France earlier, the Socialist Party seems committed to the proliferation of government jobs and contracts helped, showing that it has not yet taken the measure of effort we need to do to keep our commitments to reduce the deficit and debt.
A message of national unity is still the best answer to the doubts of markets and investor concerns. Indeed, this message most of the major European political forces have chosen to focus.
Nobody asks the French Socialist leaders to renounce their beliefs or even their legitimate ambitions.Recognize the efforts of France and Germany out of the crisis, embark on a "golden rule" of common sense, it would show responsibility and a sense of national interest that would to their credit.