France’s finance minister has called on the German establishment to watch its words when criticising his country’s economic policies, claiming barbs from Germany are fuelling the rise of anti-EU populists, reports The Financial Times.
Michel Sapin, who is under pressure from Brussels and Berlin to be more aggressive in cutting spending and in his reforms, said he was concerned by “certain extreme comments in Germany”. He called for mainstream parties to counter “outdated” stereotypes.
“As minister of finance of France, I take steps I think are good for the country. I think people have to be careful from the outside on how they express views on France,” Mr Sapin told The Financial Times.
“We really need to be careful, to respect each other and to respect each others’ history, national identity and points of sensitivity, because otherwise it will help extreme parties to grow.”
Opinion polls suggest Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Front, is likely to qualify for the second round of France’s presidential election in 2017 and would beat the socialist incumbent François Hollande.
Mr Sapin’s remarks come at a time of heightened tension over economic policy between Paris and Berlin, further undermining the most important bilateral relationship in the EU. French leaders complain that EU deficit rules — toughened during the peak of the eurozone crisis at Berlin’s behest — are strangling the economy and that Germany is failing to play its part by expanding demand.
But many German political, business and media figures are scathing about France’s efforts to improve competitiveness and slim down the state.