The rant of Jean-Paul Gauzès

When a MEP lets loose, abandons the language of wood, speaks frankly what he thinks... it's a party for journalists but also for everyone (article published on Ouest-France.fr)

In the European Parliament, in Strasbourg, in front of a few journalists (including Ouest-France), MEP Jean-Paul Gauzès, let loose on the recent elections, on the situation in Greece today, on the functioning of the Europe and on state lobbying. The mayor of Sainte-Agathe-d'Aliermont (Seine Maritime) is one of the two rapporteurs on the "TwoPack", the legislative package aimed at tightening economic coordination between countries in the Euro Zone. And he doesn't mince his words. In his report, there is indeed a proposal that hit home. The State which would have cash flow problems would be placed under “protection” with suspension of certain clauses of the credit, the time that it can recover and ensure the payment of its bills again. A bit like companies in bankruptcy… He took it badly! Verbatim…

Gauzès' proposal: "to give time to time"

“I proposed to put in place legal protection for states in difficulty. Because today look at what is happening in Spain. This country does not have time to apply the measures that people (markets) sanction them. It takes "time to time" as Mitterand said. »

Legal protection: a rural mayors thing »

“When you build a house, you first put comforts, the time that the concrete is solidified, to prevent it from falling on your head. That's it that's all. It's simple. That's what I'm suggesting. It's a rural mayors thing. Protection for the struggling state. »

The situation in Greece: "it's Somalia (and) tomorrow, the dictatorship"

“Go to Greece, you will see photos that will look like Somalia… The funds made available to Greece today are barely enough to meet the financial deadlines, there is no margin to do anything else… There is no State, no administration, no taxation… In the countryside, people will still be able to get by. But in the cities there is nothing to cope with. (…) We risk finding ourselves tomorrow with a dictatorship. »

When lobbying takes place

“I was pressured from all sides. The (French) ambassador called me. The director of the Treasury wrote to me personally "you work well but hey on that it is better to avoid". I had half an hour of face to face with Herman Van Rompuy "you must not come to disturb the game" (Editor's note the President of the European Council). The Spanish government phoned Spanish MPs to tell them not to vote for this thing. The Portuguese government did the same. Even the Commission got involved. The Head of Unit of the European Commission did “phoning” as we say in marketing, he called all the members of the commission one by one to convince them of the danger of my proposal…(…) As all these people were clever, I said to myself, they are right, I almost took it off. In the end I didn't. »

The way the crisis is managed: "it scares you"

"It's been three weeks since that happened. And since then, I haven't heard from anyone who said it was going to destroy international finance. I expected to be yelled at. No nothing ! (…) Yesterday, I even received a message from the head of unit of the European Commission who, not long ago, said that I was talking bullshit, to get back in touch as if nothing had happened. So listen, when you see how it's managed, frankly, it scares the hell out of you…”

The last European summit: it's indecent!

“Having a simple dinner from 19 p.m. to 2 a.m., when we are in the midst of a crisis, is indecent. When there are such serious things, we don't meet for a "food" where everyone around the table only has a few minutes to talk. We all know how it goes and prepares. Press releases are prepared in advance. And then everyone arrives in their capital, saying that it's a great victory, and that they managed to change three words. Hollande is happy to have managed to put the word "growth". That's wonderful ! But after… When the house is in danger, you don't gather a municipal council around a dinner. We meet at the town hall. And we don't leave each other until the situation is resolved. How many last chance summits have we had in the past two years? It's blabla, staging. And the next summit (end of June) is likely to be the same. That's the problem… And our fellow citizens see it clearly. »

Europe's problem: knowing how to "anticipate"

“The real problem in Europe today is the political decision-making process. We must anticipate and stop doing follow-up or yet another last-chance summit to decide nothing. We need more Europe and better Europe. (…) These people are too intelligent. And above all there are too many who decide. »

• Eurobonds: “not a miracle cure”

“The Eurobonds, it's not stupid but it's not a miracle cure. This will only be possible in the long term when the States will have the same financial stability, the same rates and the same credibility. Today is risky. First, it is the same people who have ruined private finance with sophisticated, complicated, and windy things, who are in the process of advising States in the same direction. Secondly, Eurobonds are a pooling of bond issues. Clearly, when a state needs money, instead of borrowing alone, it borrows together with others. The idea is to say that it will cost less together. In fact, what we do not say is that it will perhaps cost less for those who are currently borrowing very expensively (the Greeks, the Spaniards). But it will cost more for those who borrow at low rates (Editor’s note: the Germans, the French, the Belgians…). Standard & Poor's (the main financial rating agency) warned a year ago that with this system, they would take the most expensive rate from the weakest link in the solidarity chain. The last risk remains a loan. They will have to be repaid one day. There is solidarity of debtors. If there is no money, the other person pays for you. Are you going to borrow jointly with someone who is unemployed and has no money? If you are generous you can do it, but be aware that you will pay for it. It's not solidarity, it's charity. It is better to know this in advance. »

Traumatized by the result of the FN in the town and a tackle to Sarkozy

“I was shaken. In my town, Marine Le Pen won more than 40% in the first round of presidential elections. And in the legislative elections, with a barely known candidate, she arrives more than the candidate of the UMP or the socialist party. It's striking! (…) This is what happens when you campaign saying that “it doesn't work but that if you are re-elected you will do what you haven't done for five years”. We make the bed of those who, precisely, denounce that nothing is working (the populists, the extreme right). »

Interview by Nicolas Gros-Verheyde