Will Catherine Ashton (HR) pass the auditions without damage?

(BRUSSELS2, back from Strasbourg) Informal talks between the new High Representative for Foreign Affairs and parliamentarians have taken place on the sidelines of the plenary session over the past few days. Catherine Ashton thus met all the political groups: Socialists, EPP, Liberals, Greens, etc. And the least we can say is that, listening to each other, the result remains very mixed. Even if in his political family, the socialists, the criticisms are discreet (read the feedback) - political solidarity obliges -, when tongues are loosened, the critics are more lively than elsewhere. "JI was flabbergasted by his lack of knowledge of the subjects ” admits a deputy. " She has a lack of political vision of what foreign policy could beswings for a second. " She has no interest nails the third.

Some MPs (Liberals, Greens) also point the finger at his refusal to announce his foreign policy. Several groups (Liberals, Greens) had in fact demanded that she present a written programme, as Barroso had done in September. Refusal of the interested party. Rightly, defends Catherine Trauttmann (head of the delegation of French socialists) “ If she arrived saying: I have a foreign policy, she would be "gunned down". There is an element of caution that is essential. » And to add: Catherine Asthon is not flamboyant to say the least. But he is someone who works to identify his workload well. I like her honesty, which consists in saying that there were people at least as well placed as her, that she had to work hard, that she will be expected on the results ". Also his idea of ​​focusing EU policy on areas where there is consensus was welcomed with interest. Even if, suddenly, it forgets the essential role of the High Representative, which is to bring the positions of the Member States closer, to reduce the differences on the most difficult files, therefore... not the easiest!

Catherine Ashton's caution masks, in fact, a lot of serious flaws. Among all the deputies I interviewed, from all political families, the finding seems to be summed up in one word: “disappointing”. Some advocate giving him time, others are more dubious, some are even final in their judgment. It has now been a month since she was appointed as High Representative. " Sufficient time for a student to revise a few cards and put on things other than banalities of the genre: this is an important subject explains a deputy. " Compared to the hearing of December 2, she has not progressedé” adds a second.

Little blunders between friends...

To visit Bosnia or not to visit

Apparently, Catherine Ashton has started making a few mistakes. One morning, in front of some deputies, she announces that one of her first visits will be to Bosnia-Herzegovina. She announces that she fears the risk of war. A strategic and tactical error, known to all specialists: if tensions persist in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the risk of war is for the moment held (as shown by the reports of the European soldiers of Althea, read the latest report) . Some MPs advise her not to go there, explaining that she could well fall into a trap set by the Bosnians, specialists in political underhanded tactics. A few hours later, she corrects the shot, in an interview with other deputies… Nevertheless, the damage is done. The political groups are not, in fact, really watertight in Parliament: everyone talks with everyone else. Witness: the conversation we had between a few EPP and Green MPs at the corner of a corridor.

African priorities

Another gap, for Africa, it details 4 countries on which it wants to focus: Congo, Somalia, Zimbabwe, South Africa. Interestingly, if the first two countries are evidence of foreign policy, one might wonder why South Africa, which is not automatically a foreign emergency, while Sudan and Chad (although a hot zone ), Guinea, or even the Mediterranean region… are not mentioned. His idea of ​​focusing EU foreign policy where there is consensus is welcomed. Even if, suddenly, it leaves aside one of the initial functions of the High Representative: to promote consensus between Member States on difficult points.

EU Ministers Plenipotentiary

At the turn of a hearing, C. Ashton launched an idea, apparently luminous: to appoint Ministers of Foreign Affairs as his plenipotentiaries in certain regions of the world. " Why not, for example, send the Spanish Minister Moratinos, who knows the Middle East well, to this region? she explains. The idea seems appealing. But it harbors diplomatic dangers, involves a hell of a mixture of genres and is, if not against the letter, at least against the spirit of the new Treaty. A heresy protest some deputies, like Dany Cohn-Bendit. We are going to have a breakdown by zone: Africa to some, India to others. It is the very opposite of a European foreign policy. Moratinos in the Middle East could hardly distance himself from his function as a Spaniard to carry the discourse of all Europeans on a subject that is at the very least burning (cf. the discussion on East Jerusalem at the last Foreign Affairs Council, on December 8). It would also be unseemly vis-à-vis the rotating presidency. Moreover, this function - which closely represents that of a special representative - implies a certain independence - not having other mandates - and time available - what would be the use of a special envoy by eclipse? -; what a committed politician cannot do on his national ground.

The foreign service stering board

Last announcement which caused a bit of a stir among the deputies: the establishment of a steering committee for the future external service which will include officials from the Commission, the Council and the Member States. And that's it: no members of the European Parliament. In other words, a casus belli.

The organization, weak point...

In these “errors”, my interlocutors point to three problems. " He is a person who has no background, no administration. How do you expect her to get away with it? explains a Christian Democrat specialist in foreign affairs. Then, in its governance, it made the tactical error of surrounding itself with its Commerce cabinet. People accustomed to working on economic technical issues have thus found themselves projected into a diplomatic horizon, where the issues are much more diversified. " It's not really smart commented a foreign policy specialist. So what was the surprise of a member of Ashton's cabinet to learn at the death of a soldier in Bosnia-Herzegovina that he had to " handle that too ". Yes… Apparently the new High Representative has also spent quite a bit of time on her internal organisation.

The "Solana boys" left out

Finally, without doubt the most serious, she did not maintain the links that Solana had been able to create with a series of personal representatives, specialists in a field. If the Solana system may seem a bit messy to someone coming from the Commission - where it is more structured and hierarchical -, this system had a merit: " facilitate the flow of information ". That is what diplomacy is all about, not respecting procedures. Thus, Solana's "personal representatives" do not always know whether they will be "personal representatives" of Ashton. A mistake without a doubt. This type of organization is very useful testifies a close friend of these representatives. " This makes it possible to free oneself from the hierarchy to bring a subject directly and quickly to the attention of the High Representative. »

Will she pass the auditions?

The agreement between the EPP-S&D groups and the Liberals seems to be holding firm. Even if Parliament seems to be looking for an expiatory victim, at least to mark its territory. " We look at who is going to falter, who is good, who is the weak link in this Commission. But will this be done during the auditions? Not before explains Catherine Trautmann. Nobody really wants to engage in hostilities, while the Commission is at a provisional pace, while Parliament is in "legislative breakdown". Parliamentarians have not, for many months, been supplied with legislative work, except for secondary projects; and thus grind out a few rare projects, oral questions and other lengthy debates. " We must put an end to these institutional questions and move on to serious matters: the economic crisis, our relations with the rest of the world…” thunders one. A sentiment shared by many MEPs. It is, in fact, Catherine Ashton's only chance. Otherwise, his supporters would be in the minority. In the Greens, Gue, EPP and Liberal groups, his passage did not meet with the votes of the “Foreign Affairs” specialists. Politics is also a matter of luck...