Interview with Jean-Francois Copé, ex-chief of opposition in France between 2012 and 2014.
Background: Jean-Francois Copé is a famous French Politician was the leader of the UMP party, the Party of ex-French President Sarkozy, and after Holland Victory, he became the main opposition leader in France until 2014. Copé was invited to hold a conference in the Netanya Academic College by the Campus Francophone, one of the leading Academic Institution for the large French community in Israel. The Campus Francophone is known in Israel for organizing events with important figures from France from the Economic, Political and Cultural Sector. Their program is considered as one of the most important components of the tumultuous but genuine France-Israel diplomatic Relations. Special thanks to the organizers of this great event: Claude Grundman Brightman and Nicole Farhi. A list of the future event is available below.
Let’s say the truth, there would be other terror attacks in France.
Dear Mr. Cope , first of all, welcome to Israel and thank you for the 20 min interview for Young Diplomats.
Thank you, I’m really glad to be here and to speak to Young Diplomats
Our first question for you Mr. Cope would be “ What do you think of the Foreign Policy actually led by the newly elected French President, Emmanuel Macron”?
It’s a very open question, President Macron is doing the right job right now. He is being pragmatic and objective. In my opinion, the choices that have been made by President Macron since the beginning of his term are the good ones. Why? First of all, because he is exactly doing the right thing, by replacing France at the Center for the resolution of war issues (Terrorism, War and stability).
I would like to praise the courage of Mr. Rajoy (The President of Spain)
What do you think of Macron’s decision not to invite President Trump for the new environmental conference in Paris after he withdraws from Paris Agreement?
Donald Trump chooses to withdraw from the Paris agreement because of his commitment he made before the elections. Head of states should be aware of the real environmental threats, it’s a pity for the world to have to deal with these kinds of decisions. Even if I don’t agree with it I respect it.
What do you think should be the position of France on Kurdistan and Catalonia referendums for independence?
I think you shouldn’t put the two situations in the same questions since these are two radically different situations.
OK let’s answer point by point, them, what is your take on the current situation in Catalonia, what do you think France should do?
First of all, I would like to praise the courage of Mr. Rajoy (The President of Spain) , independence is could be a source of problems and destabilization and Mr Rajoy which is facing a tough challenge but is in my opinion handling it quite efficiently since it’s the future of Spain that is at stake. In my opinion, he tries his best to keep Spain as a whole.
What is your take on Kurdistan, where 92% of Iraqi Kurdistan voted to break apart from Iraq and became an independent state? After years of fighting ISIS on the ground and being the most reliable proxy of the west. Don’t you think that the Kurds that were fighting ISIS, one of the worst French Ennemy after the Paris and Nice attacks, deserve to have their own state? What is your take on Kurdistan independence?
I won’t be long on this question, the only thing I can say is that my intuition is that once there will be a Kurdish State. What is going on now is the main step, because they are things that cannot be back as they were. The Kurds are determined, they might deserve to have a state, I don’t know. I’m not expressing myself as a diplomat, but I have an intuition that it may happen but it depends on the reality on the ground.
Many of our readers are interest in French Politics and they are struggling to understand what is the statutes of French Politics with the collapse of the traditional parties and the incredible emergence of the Center. Do you think it’s a good news for France?
Not good or not bad. Traditional Parties Republicans and Socialist have been defeated, because they were not able to achieve good results. French decided to kick their traditional parties out. They had plenty of choices: Far right, Far Left or the Center. Emmanuel Macron and the Center won.
What is interesting is to know what kind of Policy Macron is actually going to perform. Despite its claims that he will not do a rightist or leftist policy, in my opinion, Emmanuel Macron is clearly applying the principles of the right. Economic Measures are all coming from the right side. He is exactly doing what Sarkozy Should have done. He is implementing the structural economic reforms that France needed. For the moment it’s very difficult for the right side to criticize his policy because they would be inconsistent with their own program.
But , and I insist, he is not doing enough on Security question in France. He should give more powers and more funding to our security and intelligence apparatus in France. France faced terrible terror attacks in Paris and Nice in the last years. We had Al-Qaeda, we had ISIS, and unfortunately, let’s say the truth, there would be other terror attacks in France. A lot of these terrorists are coming from everywhere in the world and are totally obsessed by performing terror attacks in France. So we have to be cautious mobilized but most importantly much more efficient.
We also need to improve security at home and fight petty crime
Thank you, maybe an advice for the young diplomats that are watching us in live on Social Media right now?
Good luck guys, your project is really good. The world needs young future diplomats like you! You need to understand the reality of the world, you should keep in mind that we are never sure of anything you need to be pragmatic, open and think what is good for the country.
