France vs EU: Bitter War of Words Escalates

A public spat between France and the EU is a potential sign of French disenchantment with the EU, reports The Local. The issue grew out of France’s position that European film and television industry be insulated from Hollywood during the upcoming US-EU trade negotiations and stems from past remarks José Manuel Barroso, EU Commission chief, regarding French protectionist positions on several issues. French Industrial Renewal Minister Arnaud Montebourg accused Barroso of fanning the flames of the far right in Europe, and Barroso shot back saying politicians shouldn’t expect to achieve much by blaming the EU for problems. He also pointed out that the far-left and far right share many nativist views. Numerous politicians are piling on the disagreement, and analysts suggest that tensions on the continent are mere talk – politicians with short-tempers pandering to their respective audiences rather than tackling the tough economic problems of the EU. – YaleGlobal