France's influence in Europe questioned

Édouard Philippe, a former French prime minister and presidential candidate, said France's role in European decision-making has weakened because it has struggled to fix its public finances. He pointed out that European leaders are pushing France to solve its budget problems before it can take part in broader European discussions.

European rules on deficits and debt

Philippe emphasized that European leaders recognize France's past choices on issues like security and sovereignty, but they expect France to follow common financial rules. These include keeping a budget deficit below 3% of the economy and limiting public debt to 60% of the country’s gross domestic product, as outlined in European treaties.

Tensions between France and Germany

Philippe also talked about the growing tension between France and Germany, partly due to France’s financial problems and Germany’s own strategic challenges. He noted that Germany has relied on American security, Chinese trade, and Russian energy, but these dependencies have been disrupted by recent events.

Impact on European Union unity

He said these differences have made it harder for France and Germany to agree, and that the European Union cannot work well without a strong partnership between the two countries. Philippe urged France to restore its credibility by fixing its public finances and meeting European financial standards.