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The French - is it personal?

(153 Posts)
Alima Fri 23-Aug-19 09:41:53

I think the French have a chip on their shoulder when it comes to Britain. Macron definitely seems to have his own agenda. Germany unusually has problems of its own regarding possible downturn. Their situation could be made worse if we do leave with no deal. Angela Merkel really does appear to be a real states person. (When it comes to being asked for reasons why I voted leave, this sort of thing is a perfect example of why. Being goaded by a pompous little French person and told what to do. No, I don’t have a link to back up what I say).

growstuff Fri 23-Aug-19 09:40:11

From reading the French and German media, I don't think either of them will be shedding too many tears about Brexit.

I actually thought Macron was quite welcoming, especially considering the hype. I think it's in Mutti Merkel's character to appear welcoming and protective. When I watched the speech she made, Johnson just stood there looking like a chastised schoolboy and Merkel looked like and sounded like the headmistress in charge.

There's not a hope in hell he can come up with a solution to the Irish backstop issue, so goodness knows why he accepted the challenge so enthusiastically. I think he was taken by surprise, but I'm sure puppeteer Cummings will think of a way of twisting it to make it look like the EU is to blame.

MawB Fri 23-Aug-19 09:25:03

Do the French just not like us?
Johnson seems to have got a much more sympathetic, dare I say, friendly reception from Angela Merkel recently than from President Macron.
Interesting, given that Macron once admitted that even France would “probably” have voted to leave the EU if given the chance: Marine Le Pen, his great antagonist, has talked about giving people that choice. Understandably, Macron needs to put people off this idea. So he must show that the EU does not bend when threatened and that countries who break away face isolation and political ruin.
Angela Merkel is more pragmatic. The Germans worry not just about the disruption, but about losing Britain to America’s diplomatic orbit – hence her suggestion that she is open to a better Brexit deal. Why lose jobs, or trade, if there is an alternative?
If there is to be any hope of avoiding a disastrous crashing out, I would pin my hopes on Merkel, rather than Macron.