During his visit to Canada for the G7 Summit in La Malbaie in 2018, French President Emmanuel Macron denied showing a certain indifference towards the historical ties linking Quebec to his mother country.
“I know that many people are wondering if, in my mind, the relationship with Quebec is a strategic or emotional relationship. So, at first, I have to say, I didn’t understand. Because for me, “strategic” was positive. In France, a little over a year ago, when I campaigned, there was one thing that characterized the approach — it was “at the same time”. And therefore, the relationship between France and Quebec is strategic and “at the same time” emotional. We have the right ! » he explained during a press briefing in Montreal.
It must be said that the Quebec question has never greatly interested the young French head of state, unlike some of his predecessors. A great admirer of American innovation and capitalism, the one who promoted French Tech its priority in terms of commercial relations mainly saw Quebec and Canada as springboards for French companies wishing to penetrate the North American market. He was the only candidate running during the French presidential campaign in 2017 to unreservedly support the free trade agreement between the European Union and Canada (CETA), better known by its English acronym, CETA. .
Negotiations for this agreement began during the presidency of Nicolas Sarkozy before concluding under that of François Hollande. Its entry into force — provisionally, pending ratification by the legislative assemblies of all EU countries — took place a few months after Mr. Macron’s arrival at the Élysée.
However, if the National Assembly had ratified CETA during a vote in 2019, thanks in particular to the absolute majority that Mr. Macron’s party then held, the French Senate had never ruled on the agreement — until the Communist Party managed to put it on the agenda of the Upper House last week. And in the wake of demonstrations by farmers who paralyzed French and European highways this winter to complain in particular about unfair competition from countries exporting agricultural products, defenders of free trade are becoming rarer. French senators thus rejected CETA by 211 votes to 44.
The Élysée did not see it coming.
In the midst of campaigning for the European elections next June, all the oppositions in France – from the Republicans to the National Rally, including France Insoumise and the Socialist Party – are standing up against CETA, leaving the president’s party on the defensive. , called Renaissance, at a very bad time. The French Minister for Foreign Trade, Franck Riester, may complain about the “instrumentalization” of the agreement, but the protectionist wave sweeping through his country risks sweeping away the Macronist candidates in the European vote and endangering the CETA, which is so dear to them.
Mr. Riester announced this week that the government did not intend to send the agreement to the National Assembly for a new vote, as French procedure requires, before the European elections, “because this subject requires time for peaceful debate “. But sooner or later, a new vote should take place.
However, the presidential party and its allies no longer hold a majority of the 577 seats in the Assembly since the legislative elections of 2022. While waiting for the vote, the Élysée is trying to put all the chances on its side by playing the “affective” card. “. In an interview given this week to Figaro, Mr. Riester made a point of emphasizing the cultural links between France and Canada. “Let us remember that this is an agreement signed with a French-speaking democracy, friend of France, with which we share at the international level the fights on the environment, social rights and human rights,” he said. he told the Parisian daily.
Mr Riester is expected to accompany the new prime minister, Gabriel Attal, on his first trip outside the EU since his appointment by Mr Macron in January. The two men are expected in Ottawa on April 10, before making a stop in Quebec, where Mr. Attal will deliver a speech to members of the National Assembly, and another stop in Montreal.
The offices of Justin Trudeau and François Legault both issued press releases this week announcing Mr. Attal’s visit, without mentioning CETA. According to Mr. Trudeau’s office, the visit “will be an opportunity to advance our work on common priorities, including the fight against climate change, conservation and the establishment of a carbon-neutral economy, increased trade , the reaffirmation of our unwavering commitment to promoting the French language and francophone cultures, as well as the protection of democracy and human rights around the world.”
By thus presenting Canada and Quebec as allies of France in terms of promoting such virtues, MM. Trudeau and Legault will be able to help MM. Attal and Riester to better defend CETA once back home. This is what we call an emotional and “at the same time” strategic relationship.