Posted on 11/16/2005 12:16:05 PM PST by SmithL
PARIS - The unrest buffeting France has further undermined the already weakened presidency of Jacques Chirac, but he is far from alone on a continent with pressing problems and few strong leaders to tackle them.
Britain, Germany and Italy also have troubled governments, leaving the European Union in limbo as the Bush administration increasingly shows interest in a cohesive Europe to help with difficult diplomatic tasks in the Middle East and elsewhere.
"The whole Western world lacks leadership at the moment," said Guillaume Parmentier, director of the French Center on the United States. "I cannot see any leader who can seize the mantle of the EU and move it in this or that direction."
Chirac, 72, was politically humiliated in May when French voters rejected the proposed European constitution. During three weeks of rioting in low-income immigrant neighborhoods, the president made few public statements - strengthening the expectation that he will not seek re-election in 2007.
"Chirac has been kicked in the shins so much this year that he didn't come out on the playing field (during the riots) until very late," said American University of Paris political scientist Steven Ekovich.
"France always viewed European institutions as a strong card in its diplomacy," Ekovich said. "To the extent that the president has been weakened, that has called into question their leadership of Europe."
No other European leader seems poised to fill the void.
In Britain, Prime Minister Tony Blair suffered a severe political blow last week when lawmakers rejected a proposal to detain terror suspects for 90 days without charge - the first major defeat of his premiership.
In Germany, a potentially fragile coalition government is taking power, pairing Chancellor-designate Angela Merkel's conservatives with the center-left Social Democrats. Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi faces an election in April; his government's popularity has plummeted due in part to a sluggish economy.
"Being anti-European is no longer a taboo in Italy," said Germano Dottori, a political analyst in Rome. He noted that Berlusconi has been at odds with France and Germany over the Iraq war and EU economic integration.
Victor Bomer-Thomas, director of the London-based think tank Chatham House, said the EU leadership crisis is so severe that only Spain - of the bloc's half-dozen major countries - has a leader with a strong chance of holding power several more years.
The Bush administration, since its bitter spat with France and Germany before the Iraq war, has been trying to mend fences. U.S. officials say they want to work closely with Europe on such issues as peacekeeping in Afghanistan, pressuring Iran on suspected nuclear activities, and demanding Syrian cooperation in probing the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
"There's been a change in tone by the Bush administration, a perception of the importance of Europe to the U.S.," said Michael Calingaert, an expert on Europe with the Washington-based Brookings Institution.
"It's unfortunate that at the moment they woke up to those realities, Europe is increasingly weak and fractured," he said. "It makes that dialogue more difficult."
For the EU, the political tumult in its biggest members complicates the task of confronting such issues as illegal immigration, high oil prices and intensifying trade competition from Asia. Negotiations on Turkey's admission to the EU also could be affected.
"Turkey is a real problem," said Alan Henrikson, a diplomatic historian at Tufts University's Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in Massachusetts.
"If a major European country (France) is wracked by internal violence which reflects a deep gulf with those who aren't assimilated, how can Europe as a whole possibly move to include Turkey?" wondered Henrikson, who was in Brussels last week lecturing at the European Commission.
Jean Francois-Poncet, a French senator and former foreign minister, said progress on major EU initiatives might be difficult until after elections in France and Italy. He also said the rioting, which often pitted police against Muslim youths, tarnished France's image in Arab countries where Paris has long considered itself influential.
Yet Francois-Poncet observed that France, for all its troubles, could take comfort from looking elsewhere in Europe.
"When everybody is weaker, you all come out even," he said.
Some foreign-policy experts believe the leadership woes - which extend across the Atlantic to President Bush and Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin - could have a positive effect.
"There could be good news in bad weather," said Jean-Dominique Giuliani, president of the Robert Schuman Foundation, a Paris think-tank promoting European cooperation.
"The best way to make decisions is to face the same problems," he said. "In this new context of weakened people sitting at the same table, maybe responsible leaders can to get their heads together."
From thw Axis of Weasles?
heh heh heh - now that's funny.
"When everybody is weaker, you all come out even," he said.
Typical Frenchman. He's content to be the leader of fools.
I'd be really concerned about this, but I have to go wash my hair.
Mummm, if I remember the last time this happened, some guy named Adolph took over.
Wonderful how these Leftists fall over themselves to excuse Chirac's two-week period of inaction while Paris burned. These are the same jackwitted dopes who condemn Bush for not scooping up every man, woman and child and putting them up in the White House during Hurricane Katrina.
And FYI to Herr Ekovich: Chirac's been repeatedly kicked, but it wasn't on his shins!
True. But Mohammedanism has a way of focusing one's concentration. I think that's why the good Lord keeps them around.
Someone should tell this poor fool that when everyone is weaker, that's when they get steamrolled by someone who is stronger.
Small wonder France has been conquered so many times.
...and thank God that Kerry didn't get elected! I remember all too well how the French admired him!
"Britain, Germany and Italy also have troubled governments, leaving the European Union in limbo as the Bush administration increasingly shows interest in a cohesive Europe to help with difficult diplomatic tasks in the Middle East and elsewhere."
This is a pipe dream. It looks like Bush wants to see Europe burn to the ground about as much as the majority of Americans. Europe, outside of England is irrelevant.
Yep. And aligned himself with another mediocre fellow named Benito.
Sarko! Sarko! he's our man, if he can't do it no one can!
In the land of the Blind, the one eyed Jack is king....
I love this. They've ruined their economies and their governments with liberalism, yet they think that the answer lies with more liberalism.
maybe these two should send there resumes...
" Mummm, if I remember the last time this happened, some guy named Adolph took over."
I think the next guy to take over is going to make Uncle Adolph look like Billy Graham.
"Sounds like they are ready for their ultimate leader: The Anti-Christ..."
Very wise assessment
And don't forget.
The Anti-Christ will be hailed as a great 'uniter' by all the world and the only ones that will recognize him, for what he is, is true believers (I guess that means you and I).
(You = generic)
One word....SOCIALISM
When Europe gets into a jam, they call for a Man on a Horse .
You rang?
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