"The coming crisis will require real political courage"

Benjamin Morel is a lecturer in Public Law at the University of Paris II Panthéon-Assas.

FIGAROVOX.- At the heart of the crisis, we see the presidential word change of register and now focus on the nation. Do we all become sovereignists?

Benjamin MOREL.- On the part of the President of the Republic, this is not so new. Already in his speech to Congress, on July 3, 2017, he strongly emphasized sovereignty. For Emmanuel Macron, the latter is twofold: French and European. However, since Jean Bodin, we know that sovereignty is one. If I need the consent of another to act, then I am no longer sovereign, I am subject. If France and Europe are sovereign, then none is.

When Emmanuel Macron waits for Europe to close the borders, he creates a dissonance between a discourse of national sovereignty and his inability to assume it. When Europe expects from the Netherlands the possibility of pooling debts, it also shows that its sovereignty is only a slogan. The principle of Europe is not the division of sovereignty, but the pooling of its exercise. This implies for the true sovereign to take over the reins when he deems it necessary. This is what de Gaulle did in 65, Germany, today. Emmanuel Macron is reluctant for the moment.

Faced with the looming economic disaster, the survival of the principles of budgetary rigor also seems compromised ...

Certainly ; it is probable that the principles of ordoliberalism applied in Europe, largely rigidified since the theories of the school of Friborg, are today reached to the heart. Europe is not the most indebted part of the world. The American debt is 22 trillion dollars, the Japanese debt amounts to more than 240% of the GDP. Whether by monetization or by rising inflation, these countries will never reimburse such sums of constant value; we neither.

Finally, are we witnessing the return of the State, to which all eyes are now turning?

This state expectation does not date from yesterday. It is found in particular in investigations relating to the movement of yellow vests. It is not a question of increasing social benefits, but of ensuring a better quality of public services (hospital, police, education, etc.) and a real strategy for regional planning. To do this, it will be necessary to review certain achievements of decentralization, especially at the regional level.

In Spain or Italy, we have seen how dysfunctional and unequal regionalization has been in hospital matters. Only Germany is doing well thanks to a testing policy and a sustained investment in the hospital. In Belgium, nine ministers are responsible for health; any health policy must obtain their assent. On this subject, after the yellow vests crisis, Emmanuel Macron had drawn conclusions opposite to expectations, and to his own analyzes during the great debate… He will therefore need political courage.