The announced catastrophe of the European elections in France?

December 25, 2018, Nicolas Gros Verheyde

(B2) Five months separate us from the European elections of May 2019. We know that these promise to be particularly perilous in France, both in terms of participation and of the Eurosceptic or Europhobic vote, our columnist Jean-Guy is alarmed Giraud

We must expect, on these two tables, the worst result since 1979. With, as a consequence, a weakened French representation for the entire duration of the 2019/2024 mandate. And above all a positioning of the country vis-à-vis Europe as degraded as after the 2005 referendum.

To illustrate this situation, two particular points can be mentioned:

1. “Citizen consultations”

Badly conceived in its format, its dimension and its objective, this exercise went largely unnoticed by the public. Its outcome will do nothing to mitigate the above-mentioned dangers. The only element clearly highlighted was … a deep and persistent (even aggravated) misunderstanding of European objectives, achievements and mechanisms (1). As it appears that this exercise will constitute the government's only initiative to prepare for the elections, we must indeed expect poor results.

2. Lists of candidates

As in previous elections, these lists are concocted by the parties in great confusion and opacity. Because of the rules in force, we can also provide for a multitude of “small lists” likely to confuse voters. The criteria for choosing candidates risk, as was too often the case, being very far removed from the functions they will have to perform (2).

The particular case of the (only) pro-European list - LREM - deserves to be underlined: no head of the list has yet been designated. The few names circulating do not seem up to the challenge. The officials appointed to lead this exercise (from the Elysée) do not seem particularly qualified (3). Some personalities even pose a problem (4).

All in all, a predicted catastrophe which risks, moreover, being amplified by the consequences of the serious social and political crisis currently affecting the country.

Following the election of an openly pro-European President, we were entitled to expect a completely different perspective. But red tape has taken over and a certain form of “democratic centralism” at the top of the state has curbed the best intentions. “When the best lacks all conviction while the worst are full of passionate intensity”, the game seems lost in advance.

The only vague hope that we can still keep would be that, by May 2019, the turn of “events” will make the European election appear as one of the exit doors from the top of the French malaise. But who will say it and who will fight to avoid the leap into the void?

(Jean-Guy Giraud)

"Behind these beautiful ideas (…), a weak link was also highlighted at each of the meetings: "a deep misunderstanding of the history of Europe, its construction and the institutions", observes Marie-France Mailhos, President of the European Association for Education: "We haven't done our job, we haven't educated, we haven't taught our young people, we haven't made them understand European values and the responsibilities of a European citizen...", she breathes. Therefore, if nothing changes at the end of these Citizens' Consultations, will not indifference and Euroscepticism risk, once again, marking the next European elections on May 26? (read All of Europe: what are the consequences for the citizens' consultations?)
Lire: Criteria for a good candidate (Friends of the Lisbon Treaty)
See the CVs of the (young) advisers: Garance Pineau, Pieyre Alexandre Anglade, Clément Beaune, Astrid Panosyan. Ref. Le Parisien
see the case of Jean Marc Borello, ref. Le Monde