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Reactionary!

The outcry raised by the Bolkestein directive had to be "reactionary", too! (© B2 / NGV)
The draft Bolkestein directive on Services had caused an outcry. Reactionaries, too! (© B2 / NGV)

(BRUSSELS2) Journalists and citizens, you have misunderstood. José-Manuel Barroso, the President of the European Commission, did not call the French authorities "reactionaries" in the International Herald Tribune. ". As the spokesperson for the Commission said yesterday during the lunch break in response to a question from my colleague from Le Monde. The “Two presidents spoke on the sidelines of the G8 to clarify what is a regrettable misunderstanding. His comment was not aimed at the French authorities and even less at France as a member state”. And to add: The incident is closed as far as the Commission is concerned. Let's leave this bad quarrel behind us. And let's focus on the essentials, namely the negotiation of this trade agreement with the United States. »

Globalization is progress, to be against is to be reactionary

I followed up on this question. Because the terminology used is interesting. The response of the Commission spokesperson leaves no room for ambiguity. “The President considers thehe phenomenon of globalization that exists requires Europeans, Member States and economic sectors to adapt to these changes and to enter into these changes in order to remain a leading global player, both from a political, economic and cultural view underlines the spokesperson for the Commission. J.-M. Barroso believes that Europe must " seize the globalization agenda and make the necessary reforms to remain a continent at the head of the rest of its partners " in the world. In his mind, globalization is a " progress ". And " Any refusal to move forward, to change to adapt, and to shape globalization is a form of reactionary movement. »

The reaction will not pass

By using this term, José-Manuel Barroso who is a fine politician does not use just any term. The term "reactionary" is not trivial. It refers to the French Revolution where the Reaction symbolized the return to pure Royalism. Even in Marx a return to the reverse of history. The reactionary is not a simple conservative, he is worse... He is a quasi-traitor, to the Republic. The word therefore has a strong resonance in France, bordering on insulting. It does not really facilitate the perception in France of certain dangers. On the contrary, it rather illustrates in the eyes of many citizens the usual European arrogance: "we know each other, you are only ignorant" which did so much harm to the European campaign during the referendum on the Constitution. Certainly in the phraseology of the extreme left - from which José-Manuel Barroso comes - it is a recurring word used regularly to blame an adversary. And it was used regularly in the revolutionary phases, alternately, to denigrate those who wanted change or those who refused it.

good service

But you have to beware of appearances. By handling the anathema, JM Barroso is doing a good service to the French government and to François Hollande in particular. Engaged in reforms that are difficult for the population, and especially its electorate, the Socialists can thus restore their virtue, get on a hobbyhorse that is all the easier to beat because Barroso is the... ideal punching bag.

To listen to the "reaction" of the spokesperson, it is here (at the beginning for my colleague's question, 8'15 for my question)

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

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