“The Tour de France is a vector of influence“in the world, said this Saturday on franceinfo the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Yves Le Drian. The former member of the government came to watch the start of the second stage of the Great Loop, the start of which was given in Denmark, a great cycling nation.
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He welcomes the initiative of the organizers to want to export the Tour de France abroad: “Watch the absolutely triumphant reception the runners had on Friday night in Copenhagen“, he rejoiced. “The Tour de France is a considerable success, but it is also a means of developing values, an image of France“abroad,” he explained.
franceinfo: Is it a good idea to start the Tour de France from Denmark?
Jean-Yves Le Drian: I am convinced of it. Moreover, look at the absolutely triumphant welcome that the riders had on Friday evening in Copenhagen, and that we also see this Saturday. We know that Denmark is a cycling country that has also had great champions. The bicycle is at the heart of mobility. But beyond that, the Tour de France is obviously a great competition, but it is also a form of national appropriation. It is a vector of heritage. It is a vector that reconciles the French with themselves, but it is also an element of influence.
An element of “soft-power” French-style ?
Yes, because in the world in which we live, the conflicts are enormous. I was able to live with this for ten years. There are battles over the weight of the influence that France can have with its neighbors, but also in the world. The Tour de France is a vector of influence. It’s a considerable success, but it’s also a way of developing values, an image of France. It was very important that this could also happen in Denmark now that the means of communication make it possible to make the connection relatively quickly.
Can this strengthen the ties between the two countries?
Between France and Denmark, there have been strong, friendly, constructive relations for a long time. François Mitterrand liked to recall that Denmark is the only European country with which France has never had a conflict. It continues on this line of serenity. And then, Denmark is also a great democracy led by a Social Democratic Prime Minister (Mette Frederiksen). It means something to me personally, with a party that is a real party of government, a left government that knows how to compromise without falling into compromise. We see it at the moment for European consolidation, Denmark plays a big role. It’s a nice reference. It is true that the country is much smaller. It is true that there is not the same story. It is true that this government left has a long experience, but it can be a reference.