1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,680 Speaker 1: Michelle Barney was brought in with his legendary negotiation skills 2 00:00:03,720 --> 00:00:06,160 Speaker 1: to try and bring together Parliament to be able to 3 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:09,560 Speaker 1: pass a budget. He failed, and question turns now to 4 00:00:09,640 --> 00:00:13,040 Speaker 1: who could possibly succeed him this as investors are watching 5 00:00:13,119 --> 00:00:15,079 Speaker 1: closely what's happening as well. I'm just looking at the 6 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:18,560 Speaker 1: latest commentary out of the Moody's Ratings Agency talking about 7 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:21,720 Speaker 1: the fall of the Barneer government, deepening the country's political 8 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:26,400 Speaker 1: stalemate and also contributing to a higher cost of debt 9 00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:29,800 Speaker 1: as well, saying that this complicates policymaking in France, perhaps 10 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:31,880 Speaker 1: an understatement for those who are involved in it, given 11 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:35,000 Speaker 1: how difficult things have been in recent months as well. 12 00:00:35,280 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 1: I want to discuss this and please to say we're 13 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:39,920 Speaker 1: joined this morning by the Socialist Party Senator Elen Conway More, 14 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:42,680 Speaker 1: who represents French citizens living abroad and as a former 15 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:45,199 Speaker 1: minister under President Francois and good morning, senator, thank you 16 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:48,680 Speaker 1: very much for being with us on Bloomberg Radio. How 17 00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:52,200 Speaker 1: big a crisis is this? The President of the National Assembly, 18 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:54,840 Speaker 1: Yelbon PV is saying this morning this is a collective 19 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 1: failure of politicians. 20 00:00:56,960 --> 00:00:59,840 Speaker 2: Yes, indeed it is, but I think, you know, there's 21 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:03,960 Speaker 2: always a good side to any crisis, and this is 22 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:07,400 Speaker 2: a political crisis. It's not a financial one. We have 23 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:10,000 Speaker 2: a political crisis because we have, for the first time 24 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:14,640 Speaker 2: in the National Assembly three blocks. And obviously the fall 25 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:18,280 Speaker 2: of Michelle Barnier was quite predictable in so far as 26 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:21,920 Speaker 2: when two blocks come together, of course they get a majority. 27 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:26,199 Speaker 2: And I think Michelle Barnier raised a lot of hopes 28 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:29,040 Speaker 2: in that. Indeed, he has these credentials of, you know, 29 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:32,520 Speaker 2: being a good negotiator, but I think he failed in 30 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:33,040 Speaker 2: that one. 31 00:01:33,319 --> 00:01:35,840 Speaker 3: He failed to. 32 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:39,600 Speaker 2: Be able to rally you know, the Democrats if you like, 33 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:43,800 Speaker 2: within the Assembly and turned to his extreme right to 34 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:46,560 Speaker 2: try to find compromises. 35 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:50,040 Speaker 3: And of course that got his downfall. So it was 36 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 3: all predictable. 37 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:54,400 Speaker 2: Now what is unfortunate is that it's happening in the 38 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:57,320 Speaker 2: middle of the discussions that we are having on the budget. 39 00:01:57,760 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 1: Who could do a better job at the point, would 40 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:03,840 Speaker 1: you want to see somebody from your party nominated as 41 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:05,600 Speaker 1: Prime minister, Well it could be. 42 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 2: I think we need somebody who is capable of getting compromises. 43 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:12,520 Speaker 3: I mean, this is what we're doing in the Senate 44 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:13,120 Speaker 3: all the time. 45 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 2: I mean, this is a tradition that we have and 46 00:02:15,639 --> 00:02:21,079 Speaker 2: indeed usually we get majority votes on most texts as 47 00:02:21,480 --> 00:02:25,800 Speaker 2: we're capable of looking into what everybody wants, you know, 48 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:30,560 Speaker 2: obviously different vision of society and what may be a priority. 49 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:33,200 Speaker 2: But when you give everybody a little bit of what 50 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:37,080 Speaker 2: they want, it works. So I think we need somebody 51 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:42,359 Speaker 2: who is capable today of getting these compromises, and certainly 52 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 2: somebody who can form a government very very quickly. There's 53 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:51,080 Speaker 2: no shutdown as you know it happens in the United 54 00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:54,520 Speaker 2: States with us because we have a number of articles 55 00:02:54,520 --> 00:03:00,440 Speaker 2: in our constitution that allows us to manage in in 56 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:01,960 Speaker 2: a political crisis, which is. 57 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:03,919 Speaker 3: One that we're having now. 58 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:06,639 Speaker 2: I think that last one was in nineteen sixty two, 59 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:10,920 Speaker 2: so it's not pretty current in French politics to have 60 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:12,520 Speaker 2: this type of situation. 61 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:17,200 Speaker 3: But we just now need a government that. 62 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 2: Will be holding together and maybe that will represent what 63 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:25,800 Speaker 2: the National Assembly is about now far more and just 64 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:29,240 Speaker 2: move away from the old style where we had majority 65 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:32,280 Speaker 2: and a minority. You know, it was a binary system 66 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 2: which existed in a lot of countries. I mean Germany, 67 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:38,440 Speaker 2: it was the same, you know, and you know, an 68 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:40,880 Speaker 2: image of what the United States have, you know, with 69 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:42,560 Speaker 2: Republicans and Democrats. 70 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:47,120 Speaker 3: But now we have a lot of new parties, movements 71 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 3: and so on, and therefore I think the political world 72 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 3: needs to basically kind of work, you know, on a 73 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:59,640 Speaker 3: new setup which you know, it's kind of changing its. 74 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:01,920 Speaker 2: Culture, and that takes a little bit of time, and 75 00:04:01,960 --> 00:04:04,120 Speaker 2: I think this crisis is pushing. 76 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:04,360 Speaker 3: Them to do it. 77 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:07,000 Speaker 1: But your party is central to us. If we look 78 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:10,000 Speaker 1: at the makeup of the National Assembly, we know that 79 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:13,280 Speaker 1: the centrist parties won't work with the far right or 80 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:17,159 Speaker 1: the far left, so that leaves the Socialist Party in 81 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:21,240 Speaker 1: greater numbers. Since the elections last in the summer, what 82 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:25,120 Speaker 1: could convince the Socialist Party to separate themselves from the 83 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:27,479 Speaker 1: new Popular Front from the hard left parties and to 84 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:30,599 Speaker 1: join a sort of unity government of the center. What 85 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:33,440 Speaker 1: will be the key policies that would win your support? 86 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:37,320 Speaker 2: Well, the key policy is obviously social I mean we 87 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:43,640 Speaker 2: have indicated that we have we gave gave reservations as 88 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:49,400 Speaker 2: to what the money government was presenting while we we 89 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 2: realized that savings sort to be made because of the 90 00:04:53,960 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 2: deficit today that France has. But I think what will 91 00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:04,120 Speaker 2: wish to answer your question would be a government where 92 00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:10,160 Speaker 2: there is a representation of all those who are Democrats 93 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:15,719 Speaker 2: who believe that we can move forward together and having 94 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:19,760 Speaker 2: you know, discussions. I think the political leaders are going 95 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:22,360 Speaker 2: to meet with the president today, and I think if 96 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:27,240 Speaker 2: the President in his address tonight on television at the 97 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:31,240 Speaker 2: eight PM has a name that you know, he has 98 00:05:31,279 --> 00:05:35,839 Speaker 2: discussed with all political leaders and which would be agreeable 99 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:38,919 Speaker 2: to all of them, I think we would be in 100 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:42,520 Speaker 2: a position to you know, participate in the government and 101 00:05:42,640 --> 00:05:46,599 Speaker 2: indeed support and certainly devote the budget, which is the 102 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:50,080 Speaker 2: most important thing for twenty twenty five, you know. 103 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:53,279 Speaker 1: And then the end though of the need would that 104 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:55,279 Speaker 1: be the end of the new Popular Front alliance? 105 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:55,480 Speaker 2: Though? 106 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:58,840 Speaker 1: Would your party separate themselves from their partners in that alliance? 107 00:05:59,160 --> 00:05:59,720 Speaker 3: Well, there are. 108 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:03,280 Speaker 2: Three are four parties in that alliance, and three of 109 00:06:03,279 --> 00:06:06,640 Speaker 2: them are have indicated that they want to move forward, 110 00:06:06,720 --> 00:06:11,560 Speaker 2: they do not wish the president to resign, uh, and that. 111 00:06:11,640 --> 00:06:15,440 Speaker 3: They are very willing to move forward. So, you know, 112 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:16,680 Speaker 3: three out of four. 113 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:20,880 Speaker 2: So maybe it will be a new a new alliance 114 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:24,520 Speaker 2: if you like, with three with three parties rather than. 115 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:24,880 Speaker 3: Four of them. 116 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:28,040 Speaker 1: Two names from your party who's been floated around as 117 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:32,200 Speaker 1: potential candidates Segal and Royale, former Environment Minister and presidential candidate. 118 00:06:32,200 --> 00:06:35,279 Speaker 1: Bernard Kasnov, former Prime Minister. Would either of those be 119 00:06:35,320 --> 00:06:37,040 Speaker 1: people eat support well. 120 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 2: Yes, of course, But there are others as well that 121 00:06:42,279 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 2: have not been named by the media that will be 122 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:46,680 Speaker 2: potential candidates. 123 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:49,200 Speaker 3: But we will see, we will see. 124 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:51,640 Speaker 2: I mean, you know, it's not I think you know, 125 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:55,360 Speaker 2: we have learned from proposing a name that was refused 126 00:06:55,560 --> 00:07:01,120 Speaker 2: by the President and we're not going this time forward 127 00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:02,040 Speaker 2: with names. 128 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:03,839 Speaker 3: Just see what the President has. 129 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:07,080 Speaker 2: In mind in mind and then see if we can 130 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 2: get an agreement on just not the prime minister, but 131 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:14,720 Speaker 2: the full government that will be you know, uh put 132 00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:17,400 Speaker 2: in place and we hope as quickly as possible. 133 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:19,560 Speaker 1: Allen Conway, MOWA, thank you so much for your time 134 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:22,000 Speaker 1: on the program this morning. Socialist Party senator and former 135 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:26,400 Speaker 1: minister under President Francois Holand we appreciate your insights and contribution.