Saturday

23rd Sep 2023

German commissioner provokes French wrath

  • Is Oettinger's communication under control by Juncker's spin doctors? (Photo: ec.europa.eu)

German commissioner Guenther Oettinger has drawn ire from French politicians after urging budget rigour and calling France a "deficit recidivist", in an op-ed published in French daily Les Echos on Thursday (20 November).

The same text, but using the phrase "the issue of France and its high budget deficit" instead of "recidivist" appeared in the Financial Times a few hours later.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

The message comes a few days before the European Commission is to give its opinion on 18 national budgets, with France's growing deficit fast-becoming a question of credibility for the EU executive's post-crisis role in economic scrutiny.

Oettinger's words struck a nerve in France because he is German and because his portfolio has nothing to do with budget deficits - it is "digital economy and society."

Instead, it is a Frenchman and former finance minister, Pierre Moscovici, who is the commissioner in charge of economics and potential sanctions for deficit sinners.

French finance minister Michel Sapin said Friday that Oettinger's comments were "not constructive". Other voices within the French Socialist Party went further.

Oettinger's "off-topic diatribe deserves a resignation", said the French Socialist Party's secretary general, Jean-Christophe Cambadelis.

"This aggression goes beyond his prerogatives and especially beyond the necessary reservation of a commissioner. This attitude reinforces those who want France to leave Europe. It should be punished," he added.

French Socialist MEP Pervenche Beres also criticised Oettinger, saying that an "EU commissioner is not the spokesman of his country."

A spokesman for commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said on Friday that he "was aware" of the text.

He noted that commissioners are "politicians who can express themselves freely", but also that the commission takes its decisions, whether on budgets or other issues, as a group-of-28.

It is not the first time that Oettinger has behaved more like a German politician than an EU commissioner.

In 2011, he told German tabloid Bild that EU institutions should put the flags of the deficit countries at half mast as a "deterrent effect". Over 150 MEPs reacted back then, asking for his resignation.

But it is unlikely the gaffe-prone German acted on his own initiative this time around, Brussels insiders told EUobserver.

"I'd be very surprised if it wasn't co-ordinated with Juncker's cabinet," said one EU source, noting that Oettinger's line was the same as the commission's official one - that France needs to rein in spending.

Another EU official had "the same suspicion".

The contact said that acting alone on this topic - publication in Les Echos and the Financial Times when it's not his portfolio - "would mean that the German commissioner does not accept that his communication is controlled by Juncker's spin doctors".

As for the commission's public verdict on the national budgets of eurozone countries, this will have to happen next week, before 30 November.

Juncker's spokesman Margaritis Schinas on Friday said "there is a debate that will come" on Tuesday in the college of commissioners when they discuss the eurozone budgets.

He said the date is not yet fixed on when Brussels' final decision will be published.

EU still undecided on France deficit

Hawks and doves within the EU commission and member states continue to disagree on how to deal with France's budget deficit, seen as a credibility test for the EU.

Latest News

  1. Europe's energy strategy: A tale of competing priorities
  2. Why Greek state workers are protesting new labour law
  3. Gloves off, as Polish ruling party fights for power
  4. Here's the headline of every op-ed imploring something to stop
  5. Report: Tax richest 0.5%, raise €213bn for EU coffers
  6. EU aid for Africa risks violating spending rules, Oxfam says
  7. Activists push €40bn fossil subsidies into Dutch-election spotlight
  8. Europe must Trump-proof its Ukraine arms supplies

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. International Medical Devices Regulators Forum (IMDRF)Join regulators, industry & healthcare experts at the 24th IMDRF session, September 25-26, Berlin. Register by 20 Sept to join in person or online.
  2. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  3. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA
  4. International Medical Devices Regulators Forum (IMDRF)Join regulators & industry experts at the 24th IMDRF session- Berlin September 25-26. Register early for discounted hotel rates
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersGlobal interest in the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations – here are the speakers for the launch
  6. Nordic Council of Ministers20 June: Launch of the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. International Sustainable Finance CentreJoin CEE Sustainable Finance Summit, 15 – 19 May 2023, high-level event for finance & business
  2. ICLEISeven actionable measures to make food procurement in Europe more sustainable
  3. World BankWorld Bank Report Highlights Role of Human Development for a Successful Green Transition in Europe
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic summit to step up the fight against food loss and waste
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersThink-tank: Strengthen co-operation around tech giants’ influence in the Nordics
  6. EFBWWEFBWW calls for the EC to stop exploitation in subcontracting chains

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us