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It is time to go out to the beautiful and rather warm Axon Province in southern France. There is an economic conference underway. This is conference taking place in the backdrop, of course a key Sunday vote, a legislative vote is an election. And we head to the conference. Now, former EU Commissioner for Brexit Michelle Barnier joins Avari and Carolyne Conan take it away, and I'm very happy to.
Be joined by Michelle Vanier from this economy confernce in excellent province, former EU Commissioner of course and a negotiator for Brexit. Good after the Michell Vannier first, one question on the UK. We had this as stunding victory of the Labor Party with Q Sarmer. Do you think this is the result of the bad consequences eight years of Brexit?
Be first to congratulated guest Armor the lib Dems also after the great victory. To be fair, I don't think that all the current difficulties of the UK, social difficulty and employment intation and the change linked thanks to the British people to these difficulties. I don't think that all these difficulties are linked to the Brexit, But at one point I'm sure of is that all the difficulties are more serious because of the Brexit, because it was a nonsense.
Had a great illusion, to repeat the title of my book, for the contemptory party to think that they will be a stronger outside of the biggest free market, which is free the unique the single market that the.
You we know, the National Valley and many parties across Surob have now gone down this idea of Frexit since Brexit, but still in your book the great Illusion, you actually mentioned warning to France about these problems of the government being out of touch with the population, the problem of immigration, the cost of living. Do you think what we're living right now in France has the same roots as the brexst vote.
My answer is yes, and the reason why I called my first chapter in my book the Diary of the Breakfast Negotiation the warning. And I always try to respect the UK people and my counterparty this negotiation have lots of admiration for the UK people for a long time, and I will not change, but I work a lot on the roots. The reason why fifty two percent of
the British people vote against Europe eight years ago. And when you look at the reason that the roots, you can see many regions or UK, but it's talk about now but the same the same moods as we can What is is oot in France now in many regions, unemployment,
bad public services. You look in front and you look at four curbs which are parallel, the curb of the vote for the right, for the far right, for the National Valley, the curb of unemployment, the curb of distance of your house and the railway station and the route under the curb of your house to a doctor. And
these four curbs are paralleled. So we have to tackle, we have to address, We have to understand what is in France, the popular feeling, the social anger, the same moods are as in the UK eight years ago.
What do you think possible victory, because that's still possible of the far right on Sunday, what do you think that would mean for the image of France approad, for investors who want to put their money into France today.
First award it remains for a few hours, two days to draw the French lesson of the Brexit and not to do the same mistake as the UK eight years before. So I think that we can avoid such a result and find a way to build a new majority in the past, even it will be difficult to refund. I think that the program of the far right is incredible, is a poution anti business and populist program. So it's the reason why I proposed firm little this program.
The alternative today is a handful where possibly some technical figures forming a wide coalition. Do you believe that's possible in France? And would you actually be willing to be part of this, to be part of a new wide coalition that includes the moderates from the left and from the right, And I remind of yours that you are moderate Republicans.
Yes, but it's not useful to personalize the discussion. For the moment, we have to vote. Let the people vote. In France, they are free, they are chuldren and the vote will be important. And I don't know what will be this vote, And on Sunday night we will see exactly how many groups, how many members of the parliament in each group, and if it's possible to build something
different from the far right, I don't know yet. But it's difficult to speak about the coalition before knowing the exact result of the directions.
But if President my won't cause you next week and offers you the job as prime minister to be taken.
Once against, it's not useful to personal life. It's too soon and we have to respect the vote of the people first of all, the right sense. Let the people vote on Sunday.
Jordan Badelad, the National Rally president, has said he would refuse to become prime minister if he doesn't have an outright majority. Marion Lafin, however, has been saying that she will try and grab those fifteen twenty law makers missing if she's just a few seats away. Do you think some of them moderate Republicans in your camp who might be elected on Sunday will actually join this possible national value Republican governor.
I don't think so. I don't think she got the people our party want to leave. Has already left with mister Curt a few weeks ago to join our right. It's not my line, it's not our line, and all the other members will be elected as hope large nabor of members, perhaps fifty or fifty five will be all elected against the fun right. So don't ask them to join us.
Do you think there will be, no matter who wins on Sunday, a sort of clash showdown with the EU later down the one in the fall when we got the budget on his SCOO goals and on.
The budget, depending on what we'll be elected, what will be the majority? I think if we speak about a new alternative majority in France, my goal, my wish at conviction is that the people who will have to work together must be on the European line. It is the blue line, the red line for us.
Finally, how big are the chance is that in a few months or in a few years from now will have Donald Trump in the US man in THEE ten in France, two populist governments on both sides of the advantage.
The worst is never sure, So we will see in France next Sunday. I think it's still possible to avoid the far right power to keep the European line and the reasonable light for France keeping his role in Europe. And we will see for the US. But anyway, what would happen in the US, what will be the next president? That's very clear. What we are not ready to do for ourselves and Europeans, nobody will do for us.
Michelle Vannie, thank you very much for joining us from X on communs. One of the rare political figures present here in x at this economic conference, because none of the ministers from Macro's government is actually.
Here these days.
Interesting, Carolyn conn and thank you so much.
We appreciate that.
Carolyn Connan with Michelle Money, a former
EU Commissioner in charge of the Brexit negotiations.