Sarkozy Skews the Facts

My previous post on Christian Vanneste spoke of a convention last week in Paris of the UMP party. This gathering of the Establishment Right was treated to a speech by Nicolas Sarkozy in which he repeated much of his previously orated material on the necessity for change in order to keep up with the rapidly changing times, on the capital importance of diversity (with an effusive encomium to his Minister of Justice Rachida Dati, who will be leaving her post in June to run - and win, it is assumed - in the European elections), and on the many accomplishments of Sarkozy himself, who never wearies of self-congratulatory messages.

French readers with time on their hands can read the bloated discourse here.

One of the topics he broached was the question of Ireland and the Treaty of Lisbon. Henri Védas, who writes at Bruges Europe, picked it up.

Sarkozy said the following:

I took my responsibilities when I announced three days before the second round (of the 2007 presidential election) that I would not propose a referendum to the French people. I stand by that!

Why? Because, when France says no in Europe, the consequences are considerable. Of course, France found herself shunted aside in Europe (?), but Europe found itself immobile (?).

Note: Henri Védas indicates through question marks that Sarkozy's comments make no sense.

The situation had to be unblocked. That is what we did with the Treaty of Lisbon.

It will be necessary to fight to win in Ireland. I know I created something of a stir when I told our Irish friends they would have to re-vote, but I would tell them, in the same way, that it was all of Europe that rushed to their side when their banks were almost crushed by the financial crisis. All of Europe! Not one country held back!

Henri Védas intervenes to set the record straight:

On the rescue of the Irish banks, this version of events is sheer fantasy. It would be more accurate to say that the EU, did not, in the end and after discussions, oppose the national rescue plan of Irish banks by Irish taxpayers.

The president constantly and shamelessly takes advantage of the ignorance of his listeners on European issues.

The photo of the Libertas billboard is courtesy Le Salon Beige.