Neo-Bonapartism? A parallel between Nicolas Sarkozy and ...

Neo-Bonapartism? A parallel between Nicolas Sarkozy and Napoleon III
presidency of the European Union, this latter was “looking at France with the great
expectations one can have about a major founding country and at the same time the fear of a
dominating attitude that will not respect the European tendency to compromise” (Ricard-
Nihoul, 2008). In fact, the Bonapartisation of the EU as put by Duhamel (cf introductory
comment of that chapter) started under the German presidency in 2007 with Sarkozy being
(literally) the guest star of the Berlin Summit, occulting Angela Merkel’s lukewarm statements
with his large-scale reforms and big plans for a stronger Europe. However, one might not
conclude from the latter that the French leader’s Europeanist policy is relegating the French
interests into the background. EU officials were as severely criticized when French interests
were contradicted by the European ones as they were courted when Sarkozy’s stakes
corresponded with Europe’s. For instance, and as detailed by The Economist, “to consternation
in the Commission, Mr Sarkozy publicly blamed Peter Mandelson, the trade commissioner,
arguing that his offer to cut farm tariffs in the Doha trade talks had worried Irish voters” (2008).
The same applies to the European Central Bank whose lack of flexibility vis a vis its monetary
policy irritated Sarkozy, or even the European lack of consensus around some environmental
issues (like the Carbon Tax he so heartedly defended in several European capitals). The
escalation of Sarkozy’s verbal raids and criticisms vis a vis the EU reached a peak compelling
José Manuel Barroso to urge “Mr. Sarkozy to stop making Brussels a scapegoat” (The
Economist, 2008). However, and if a making-up of Nicolas Sarkozy’s European foreign policy is
to be done, he has several points in his favors: the management of the EU’s deadlock in Ireland,
of the Russo-Georgian conflict, of the Airbus/EADS crisis…etc. As a result, he succeeded in
effectively imposing France as a major player and power of the European Union via such an
A website dedicated to this project is available starting Dec 7 th 2010 at: http://www.aui.ma/personal/~Y.Assaoui/
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