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| In search of Europe: France | In search of Europe: France |
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| The EU's eastward enlargement seems to have few fans in France, where fears about competition for jobs and declining French influence in Europe are widespread, the BBC's Jonny Dymond reports. | The EU's eastward enlargement seems to have few fans in France, where fears about competition for jobs and declining French influence in Europe are widespread, the BBC's Jonny Dymond reports. |
| JONNY DYMOND I'm Jonny Dymond and I've said goodbye to the BBC Brussels bureau for the next few weeks. I'll be taking the temperature in nine EU member states before the European Parliament elections on 4-7 June. I'm going to ask voters what they think of the EU and what their priorities are. Join me on the trip! Jonny Dymond's route map | JONNY DYMOND I'm Jonny Dymond and I've said goodbye to the BBC Brussels bureau for the next few weeks. I'll be taking the temperature in nine EU member states before the European Parliament elections on 4-7 June. I'm going to ask voters what they think of the EU and what their priorities are. Join me on the trip! Jonny Dymond's route map |
| There is always something of a paradox about France and the EU. | There is always something of a paradox about France and the EU. |
| If you listen to French leaders - local, regional or national - the EU is France's destiny. | If you listen to French leaders - local, regional or national - the EU is France's destiny. |
| After all, was it not a French creation? Does the European flag not flutter from tens of thousands of town halls across the land? | |
| And was not the French presidency of the Union last year a triumph that reminded lesser countries (all 26 of them) just how these things should be done? | And was not the French presidency of the Union last year a triumph that reminded lesser countries (all 26 of them) just how these things should be done? |
| Economic unease on the streets of Nancy | Economic unease on the streets of Nancy |
| But if you talk to French citizens - of all classes and ages - there are doubts, hesitations, questions about the EU that reflect French insecurity about both the direction of the EU and France's place within it. | But if you talk to French citizens - of all classes and ages - there are doubts, hesitations, questions about the EU that reflect French insecurity about both the direction of the EU and France's place within it. |
| There is nothing like the angry scepticism you find in Britain. | There is nothing like the angry scepticism you find in Britain. |
| But there is genuine mystification about how what was once a cosy, pretty much French-led club is now a sprawling organisation with 27 members, where France has to work hard to get herself heard. | But there is genuine mystification about how what was once a cosy, pretty much French-led club is now a sprawling organisation with 27 members, where France has to work hard to get herself heard. |
| Taking to the streets | Taking to the streets |
| It is the last big round of enlargements that causes most consternation. | It is the last big round of enlargements that causes most consternation. |
| In Nancy, in eastern France, thousands of people from the region took to the streets on May Day to protest about rising unemployment, the government's economic policies and the protesters' perennial bete noire - education reforms. | In Nancy, in eastern France, thousands of people from the region took to the streets on May Day to protest about rising unemployment, the government's economic policies and the protesters' perennial bete noire - education reforms. |
| Guy Pernin says the EU allows jobs to move to eastern Europe | Guy Pernin says the EU allows jobs to move to eastern Europe |
| In the demonstration, under a banner of the communist-influenced trade union CGT, marched Guy Pernin. | In the demonstration, under a banner of the communist-influenced trade union CGT, marched Guy Pernin. |
| He is a CGT official from a recently-closed tyre factory, about half an hour's drive from town. | He is a CGT official from a recently-closed tyre factory, about half an hour's drive from town. |
| Mr Pernin is convinced that the machinery from the factory is being sent to Poland to be used by cheaper Polish workers. | Mr Pernin is convinced that the machinery from the factory is being sent to Poland to be used by cheaper Polish workers. |
| Michelin, the factory's owner, refused to comment on the machinery's final destination. | Michelin, the factory's owner, refused to comment on the machinery's final destination. |
| "All the French industrial groups are going to eastern Europe these days," says Mr Pernin. | "All the French industrial groups are going to eastern Europe these days," says Mr Pernin. |
| "Michelin told us we were obsolete, that we were no longer worth anything. Michelin is using systems put in place at the European level, to take our machines and continue their production." | "Michelin told us we were obsolete, that we were no longer worth anything. Michelin is using systems put in place at the European level, to take our machines and continue their production." |
| Polish plumber's shadow | Polish plumber's shadow |
| Some politicians in France say that the furore over the "Polish plumber" - a shorthand for eastern European workers undercutting French counterparts' pay and social protection - has died down. | Some politicians in France say that the furore over the "Polish plumber" - a shorthand for eastern European workers undercutting French counterparts' pay and social protection - has died down. |
| But in Nancy, workers, students and pensioners nearly all mention the need to avoid what they call "social dumping". | But in Nancy, workers, students and pensioners nearly all mention the need to avoid what they call "social dumping". |
| And those sceptical sentiments do not just come from the usual suspects on the left. | And those sceptical sentiments do not just come from the usual suspects on the left. |
| Normandy wants to remain distinctive in the enlarged EU | Normandy wants to remain distinctive in the enlarged EU |
| On the other side of the country, in the Normandy town of Cambremer, there is a celebration of all the good things the region produces. | On the other side of the country, in the Normandy town of Cambremer, there is a celebration of all the good things the region produces. |
| Up and down the winding streets of the town stalls are heavy with cheese, calvados, more cheese, cider, sausage and more cheese. | Up and down the winding streets of the town stalls are heavy with cheese, calvados, more cheese, cider, sausage and more cheese. |
| At one rare non-cheese stand Didier Bedu stands behind a wall of calvados bottles. | At one rare non-cheese stand Didier Bedu stands behind a wall of calvados bottles. |
| How, I ask him, does France feel towards the EU? | How, I ask him, does France feel towards the EU? |
| "Maybe more enthusiastic than the British," he laughs, "but more and more sceptical. | "Maybe more enthusiastic than the British," he laughs, "but more and more sceptical. |
| "They [the EU] want to manage and control everything, in all the small details of life, and this is not the role of the EU. This is the role of local government." | "They [the EU] want to manage and control everything, in all the small details of life, and this is not the role of the EU. This is the role of local government." |
| And amongst those sipping and nibbling at the stalls, there is a similar downbeat mood. | And amongst those sipping and nibbling at the stalls, there is a similar downbeat mood. |
| Nearly everyone I speak to says they will vote in the upcoming elections. | Nearly everyone I speak to says they will vote in the upcoming elections. |
| Producers in Cambremer have benefitted from the EU | Producers in Cambremer have benefitted from the EU |
| But nearly everyone complains about the impact of expansion to the East. | But nearly everyone complains about the impact of expansion to the East. |
| "Our son works for an international company," said Simone, a 72-year-old pensioner. "And he asked for a raise. His boss told him: 'Two Poles can work for your pay'." | "Our son works for an international company," said Simone, a 72-year-old pensioner. "And he asked for a raise. His boss told him: 'Two Poles can work for your pay'." |
| Her husband, standing next to her, chips in: "France is getting poorer because of the EU". | Her husband, standing next to her, chips in: "France is getting poorer because of the EU". |
| Andre, a 26-year-old financial adviser, says he is very much in favour of building a political Europe but that "we must have the same rules everywhere". | Andre, a 26-year-old financial adviser, says he is very much in favour of building a political Europe but that "we must have the same rules everywhere". |
| And he adds: "The building of Europe would allow us to protect our market from emerging economies." | And he adds: "The building of Europe would allow us to protect our market from emerging economies." |
| All of this is a long way from the kind of liberal free market rhetoric you hear in Brussels. | All of this is a long way from the kind of liberal free market rhetoric you hear in Brussels. |
| EU cheese-fest | EU cheese-fest |
| It seems rude not to visit at least one of the many cheese stands at the festival. | It seems rude not to visit at least one of the many cheese stands at the festival. |
| I head for the creamy blue of a Roquefort stall, run by a big grinning bear of a man, Xavier Thuret, whose passion for mouth-watering cheese appears to be matched only by his love of European integration. | I head for the creamy blue of a Roquefort stall, run by a big grinning bear of a man, Xavier Thuret, whose passion for mouth-watering cheese appears to be matched only by his love of European integration. |
| Xavier Thuret sees the diversity of the EU as a good thing | Xavier Thuret sees the diversity of the EU as a good thing |
| "The European Union," he says, smiling, "is a big, big, big fromage, with English cheese, Italian cheese, French cheese, Spanish cheese, a lot of different sorts of cheese." | "The European Union," he says, smiling, "is a big, big, big fromage, with English cheese, Italian cheese, French cheese, Spanish cheese, a lot of different sorts of cheese." |
| And Romanian cheese, I ask? | And Romanian cheese, I ask? |
| He is stumped, and admits to not having tried such a delicacy. Polish cheese did not get a mention either. | He is stumped, and admits to not having tried such a delicacy. Polish cheese did not get a mention either. |
| You can put growing French doubts down to a national insecurity, to concern about having to share the EU stage with so many others, or to economic worries that may yet resolve themselves - as fears over competition with Spain and Portugal did in the 1980s. | You can put growing French doubts down to a national insecurity, to concern about having to share the EU stage with so many others, or to economic worries that may yet resolve themselves - as fears over competition with Spain and Portugal did in the 1980s. |
| But doubts there are, and they will continue to grow. | But doubts there are, and they will continue to grow. |
| And who knows, just as in the referendum four years ago - when the French rejected the EU constitution - come the June elections they may surprise their leaders once again. | And who knows, just as in the referendum four years ago - when the French rejected the EU constitution - come the June elections they may surprise their leaders once again. |
| 4 May - France8 May - Ireland12 May - UK 16 May - Sweden21 May - Latvia25 May - Poland 29 May - Austria2 June - Italy5 June - Germany | 4 May - France8 May - Ireland12 May - UK 16 May - Sweden21 May - Latvia25 May - Poland 29 May - Austria2 June - Italy5 June - Germany |
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| Send us your comments on Jonny's trip and any questions for him, using the form below: | Send us your comments on Jonny's trip and any questions for him, using the form below: |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |