French MEPs, those unloved by the Macron government?

(B2 in Strasbourg) Several French MEPs, from different political groups, are unhappy to be kept out of the main European guidelines by their government. Some express it directly, others discreetly. But all regret the position taken by Paris

It was the Franco-Italian crisis that revealed the malaise. While the French ambassador in Rome was recalled to Paris, due to an incident with Luigi Di Maio, " we were not kept informed or received the usual elements of language allowing us to understand the French position launches the head of the French socialist delegation to the European Parliament, Christine Revault d'Allones-Bonnefoy, to a few journalists including B2 inside the European Parliament.

Damaging silence as the Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte was received at the European Parliament Wednesday (February 13). The Socialist Group has also sent a letter formal to Jean-Yves Le Drian and Nathalie Loiseau to complain about the situation.

“Given this unprecedented context and the historic nature of this announcement, the elected representatives of the French Socialist Delegation to the European Parliament regret that you did not send information to the French democratic representations at Union level. »

Non-regular information

More generally, MEPs complain that they no longer have regular meetings with the political authorities, collectively as was the case before. " Pierre Sellal (permanent representative) kept us regularly informed, all delegations combined, of the files underlines the PS MEP (S&D group). " Today, with the new permanent representative, Philippe Léglise Costa, this is no longer the case. " It's not " not a question of anyone “, she specifies. Since the person concerned was in regular contact with MEPs " when he was in the cabinet of the President of the Republic, François Hollande ". But rather a general positioning. It's the same thing on thematic files: contacts continue at the technical level, on a case-by-case basis, but as soon as we reach the political level, things get blocked.

A European minister who is more partisan than governmental

Point of view confirmed by Les Républicains (EPP group). " It's been a long time since we've had contact, except when we ask for it, individually ” underlines Arnaud Danjean, one of the heads of the list in the next European elections. Along the way, he scratches the role of Nathalie Loiseau, the Minister for European Affairs, who “ has stepped out of her role several times over the past few months, giving the impression that her only obsession was to stigmatize Viktor Orban, and by extension the EPP, in a more partisan than governmental approach ».

The interrupted thread of regular meetings

Among the Democrats (ALDE group), the feeling of abandonment exists, even if it is less expressive. " I regret that the regular and very interesting meetings organized by P. Sellal did not continue following his departure. remarks the deputy for the East, Nathalie Griesbeck (MODEM / ALDE), questioned by B2. The deputies therefore fall back on the interlocutor most capable at the technical level of informing them. The deputy of the North, social radical Dominique Riquet (MRSL) thus sees “ regularly the deputy permanent representative who is best placed on his files says his assistant.

Void replaces regular exchanges

On the left, Marie-Christine Vergiat (GUE) remembers the time when a minister maintained relations with French deputies. It was Bernard Cazeneuve, then Minister Delegate for European Affairs (under François Hollande). It was in 2012.” Since the departure of Philippe Etienne ", permanent representative of the time, nothingness replaced the regular exchanges " appreciated ».

An absence that is difficult to explain

These difficult relations between MEPs and a government beforehand pro-European astonish. They are difficult to explain admit several MEPs, quite taken aback, even if they do not line up under the presidential banner. The proximity to the European elections, and the difficulty in putting together the La République en Marche (LREM) list, seems obvious. But beyond that, is this silence due to the will displayed by the Macron team to revolutionize the codes, to circumvent the current body of MEPs (which he considers 'old world') or to dispense with intermediary bodies, or just a " lack of interest in the European Parliament ».

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde, with Emmanuelle Stroesser)