Top French Minister Gueant to EuroFora: Identity,Values,Integration,Future focus in EU 2012-14 Votes

*Brumath/Angelo Marcopolo/- Experienced former Secretary General of Presidential palace Elysee, and succesful Director of the winning 2007 Electoral campaign of French President Sarkozy, current Interior and Local Authorities' Minister, Claude Gueant, speaking to "EuroFora", confirmed that the issues of Identity, Values, Culture/History, internal Cohesion and Future role in the World, will be at the focus both during next year's 2012 Elections in France and in all Europe, which has important similar Electoral Rendez-vous immediately afterwards, f.ex. with the 2013 German and the 2014 EU Parliament's Elections, (held by a Symbolic coincidence, the same year with that of Strasbourg-City)...

--------------

Sarkozy faithful, Gueant's move comes as a concrete application of recent Top Level Statements against some old and controversial "Multi-Culti" approaches of recent Past years, accused to hinder Integration, but provoke, instead, "Parallel Societies" with Different Communities living Separate in a kind of Cultural AppartHeid, as it was denounced both by German Chancellor Angie Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, as well as by New British Prime Minister David Cameron, and other EU Leaders, subsequently endorsed even by CoE Assembly's Votes (See relevant "EuroFora"'s previous NewsReport).

Topically, the Key French Minister was speaking near Strasbourg, at the eve of next week's EU Parliament's Plenary Session, during which, are due to debate with MEPs  both out-going EU Chairman (for January-June 2011) Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban, who has recently prepared a New Constitution where Historic and Cultural Identity, including of Christian roots, is strongly stressed, and subsequently endorsed, (under certain, already fulfilled, conditions), even by CoE's Venice Commission of Top Jurists on Constitutional Law, as its Director, Thomas Markert confirmed in reply to "EuroFora"s questions last Month, (See relevant previous NewsReport, already sent to "EuroFora"s Subscribers/Donors), and in-coming EU Chairman (for July-December 2011) Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, whose country is famous both for its Human Rights and Democracy struggles against Nazism as well as with Solidarnosk, and for its Christian millenary culture, including naturally the popular, late Pope John-Paul II, close personal friend and collaborator of which was also the current Pope Benedict XVI, who has just decided to start an astonishingly Popular Beatification process in Rome, to judge just by the Endless Flux of People spontaneously coming in great numbers to pay homage to his relics 24/24h. during many Days after a special International event at the Vatican on May 1st, with "live" participation through Internet from all Continents of the World, attended by many Heads of State/Government from Europe and Worldwide, final Decsisions having been scheduled for October 2011, i.e. in the middle of the Polish EU Chairmanship.

- Carefully, the French key Minister made it clear that "the Choices of Religious Beliefs" made by all People must naturally be always free and respected. But he also stressed, in his 1st Political Speech in Public, addressed to a meeting organized by the Governing Majority's UMP Party (UMP) in Strasbourg's Region Alsace, together with its recently elected President and new Minister for Territorial entities Philippe Richert, and several MPs, that, "as our Neighbours, in Germany, the British in the UK, or the Americans in the USA, are often Proud to speak about their Culture, History and Future of their way of life", we should do alike for France and Europe.
-------------------------
 - "EuroFora" asked Gueant "if the struggle for Identity, Values and Future" that he had just highlighted as a Focus for France's 2012 (Presidential and Parliamentary) Elections, would concern not just France but also all the E.U., as President Sarkozy had initially asked, (since his landmark 2007 double electoral win, as well as shortly afterwards, during one of his visits to EU Parliament in Strasbourg) ?

 - "Yes, of course, certainly !", Gueant clearly stressed in a positive reply.

+ He also agreed, earlier, that such moves would practically mean to "renovate 2007's and 2009's Vitality", as "EuroFora" reminded him, obviously pointing to Sarkozy's succesful National Electoral Campaign whose main points included a Political Europe with an Identity to which EU Citizens can adhere, something which notoriously guaranteed also that Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid would be droped, as it was also, mutatis-mutandis,  reiterated in German Chancellor Merkel's 9/2009 National Elections, soon after a succesful joint Sarkozy-Merkel launch in Berlin of EU Parliament's 6/2009 Election, with a similar appeal.
-------------------------------
 - "Without any doubt, in our (2012) Debates, one of our concerns is going to be Europe's Future", confirmed, referring earlier to President Sarkozy's commitments and action on this same point, also Philippe Richert, New Minister for Territorial entities and experienced President of Strasbourg's Region Alsace. Richert had already stressed, recently, speaking to Journalists including "EuroFora" at EU Parliament in Strasbourg together with former Mnister for EU Affairs Alain Wauquiez (at present new Minister for Scientific Research and Universities), that the very Meaning of EU Parliament's presence in Strasbourg was to serve as a Symbol for the struggle for a Political Europe with a Cultural Identity, based on Historic Reconciliation as between France and Germany, and East-West ReUnification, respectful of Human Rights' values and open to EU Citizens.

Europe's capacity to succesfully play a role in the World is now recognized, as, f.ex. in the case of the fight against the Global Economic and Financial Crise, or when it stopped the Russian-Georgian War from escalading, etc., as he reminded, pointing at some among several succesful EU actions to which actively contributed French President Sarkozy in agreement with his EU partners.
------------------
- Our vision for France and Europe  "is not just that of an Assembly of Groups without any Common Identity nor Future", Gueant criticized.

- On the contrary, "I firmly believe that a .. Community cannot exist and project itself on the Future but only from the point that what divides and differentiates us becomes less important than what unites us all together".

 - Because, an area "where People have nothing in common, don't share anything, don't project themselves together into a common Future, but each Group and Category evolves in Parallel to others,  until they lose even the meaning of General Interest, has a Cloudy, Dark Future", he warned.

 - But, "this is not our way to live Politics", Gueant stressed, largely applauded.

- "That kind of France", as well as of Europe, "that we want, cannot be reduced just in the Accumulation of Social and Economic Rights, of Public Services, etc. These Rights and Publc Sevices are also part of our Heritage, to which we naturally want to remain Faithfull".

- But, "fist of all, be French" or European, "is share the same History, the same Values, the same Way of life". And "what we want to do is to transmit, Tomorrow, these Values and Way of Life to our Children", Gueant underlined, applauded.

=> "In this regard, the 2012 Vote will have an Essential Importance, because it will be a Vote on Values. It will be a Vote of Civilisation. It will commit our Identity and our relation to the (rest of) the World", President Sarkozy's closest counsellor, and current key Minister, firmly anounced.

>>> - "It will be the Choice of what we want for France" and Europe "to be Tomorrow", Gueant concluded on this point, obviously referring to President Sarkozy's famous call to start debating "Europe's Future", (comp. relevant "EuroFora"s Publications since 2007-2010).
-------------------------------------
    - Another 'Value which marks profoundly our Difference in Today's Political Debates, is a "Serious Issue", about which, nevertheless, nobody speaks openly, even if People often think  about it, and that's precisely related to the meaning of Values

    Each one of us has, unfortunately, had an experience, either in his personal life, or by watching the TV :

    - When we see, f.ex., parents aggress Violently some Teachers because they didn't like the way they spoke to their sons, (as, f.ex., it happened recently in Strasbourg with a Turkish origin "Socialist" Municipal Counselor, in charge of Local "Security", who reportedly supported another Turkish compatriot of his, even when he Brutally aggressed, repeatedly Hitting his Head with his Fists, and throwing down a Teacher who dared expulse for a few Days his son for inappropriate behavior). Or People being accused of so-called "Discrimination" just for saying that, after so many "Uncontrolled Immigration, People sometimes end up without recognizing their own country", as he observed, applauded.             

    But, Sometimes, there are certain Behaviors which have no place in our Society, not because their Authors might not be French Citizens, but simply because they are incompatible with out basic Views on the Society, Womens' role, etc.:  As, f.ex. when someone prohibits to his Wife to get out of the House, or to Speak without his Authorization, while another even refuses to greet a Public Agent because it's a woman, etc. We can't accept that. Our Common Rules must be Respected.                 
-------------------
 - "The Years 1980 were those of the establishment of "Multi-Culturalism", mainly by former "Socialst" Governments, in several EU Countries, (such as France, Germany, the UK, Italy, Spain, Greece, etc).

- "Some were concerned much more for the Entry and the Identity of Immigrants, than for the Identity of their Host Country !", he denounced, applauded. "Assimilation" was stigmatized, and some started to speak about a "Right to be Differend", etc.

=> "Thus, we arrived at a great Paradox :"

"While, previously, the Republican State had asked from the 1st waves of Immigrants coming from Italy, Polland, Spain, Portugal, etc., i.e. (European) Countries with which we (France) shared, nevertheless, many common values and a similar Culture,

on the Contrary, we didn't have similar Requirements with those who arrived more Recently, from Countries whose Culture and Way of Life was very much Differend from ours", Gueant denounced.

- "A few Months ago, when I spoke about "Assimilation" in a TV, after seeing some Reactions in the Medias, I had the impression that I had pronounced a Bad Word", he ironized.

- "But, now, I persist and sign  : I say that a Stranger who comes to live in France must be really Integrated, i.e. Respect our Laws, Adapt to our Way of Life, Speak French Language, (etc)

- "And, if he wants to establish himself Permanently in our Country, and particularly if he wants to acceed to the French Nationality, he must not only be Integrated, but really Assimilated : I.e. adhere totally, and without any reserve, to our Values, and fully enter in our Community of Life and Community of Destiny", Gueant added, largely applauded.

This reminds an authentic event described by an Alsace Media : When the issue of helping them to overcome obvious Cultural Integration Problems was raised with a Turkish Community near Mulhouse, their reaction reportedly was to claim with anger that they didn't need any help since they already "had got the(ir) Nationality) Papers" !...                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
=> "There can't be many "Frances". We want a Unique and Coherent France. We want to have a real Communion in our Society", Gueant stressed.

 - "This is not a Negation of Differences : It doesn't, naturally, contest the attachement that some may have to the Country of origin of their Parents, or ancestors etc., and we are Respectful of Religious Choices", he carefully added.

=> "But it's the expression of a Will for Liberty. It corresponds to a  a Strong Will to remain Faithful to our Values".

- "It's in the same Spirit that I anounced the Reductio of the Legal Migration : -"It's simple Logic : Wa can't continue to Bring in France, each Year, even by Legal means,  the equivalent of Rennes' City, i.e. 200.000 Inhabitants, and be surprised that it's difficult to integrate them !", he criticized.

+ "We must also have the Capacity to Integrate" those new Immigrants.  

- "That's the condition of the Preservation of Fraternal relations inside the National Comunity", and, more largely, a  Condition for the preservation of a good Social Cohesion", Gueant concluded.
-------------
- "I know that these are Difficult Issues", and that "whoever tries to approach them, risks to be constantly Misquoted, Ridiculized, Disqualified by some Medias, etc. - "But, you must Resist !

 - "Those who call us "Populists", don't like the fact that we are simply Willing to Hear what the People have to say, and Respond to its Expectations".
 - But "it was them who had brought inside the Parliament some 30 MPs from the (Far Rightist) "National Front" in the Past", he reminded.
------------
 - However, "OverSimplified remedies are no more good", he denounced, accusing some proposams of the NF.

- F.ex. "you know very well, here near Strasbourg, what it would mean to drop Europe, risking to bring back Conflicts of the Past". + And "get out of the €uro-area", according to another NF idea, "would Ruin the country, with Unemployment exploding, pushed into Poverty and Misery", etc.

- "What is at stake is too important in order to abandon it at the Hands of  Sorcerer's Apprentices, of some Irresponsible groups, he warned.

=> On the contrary, "the Real and Just Fight is that for the Reform of European Institutions" in order to really Change them for the Better, stressed Gueant in conclusion, as far as political action on EU level is concerned.

--------------------------
+ This reminds me of "Cameron (who) made an u-turn, at the top helm of a big Ship which needs some time to move around", commented afterwards a Brittish Journalist to "EuroFora", speaking of the Brittish Prime Minister's agreement with French President Sarkozy and German Chancellor Merkel against the Social Damages provoked throughout Europe by a "Multi-Culti" , AppartHeid like policy of former "Socialist" Governements, to the point that "I really didn't recognize my own country !" (the UK), as he said for the really .. Spooky feeling also "EuroFora"s co-Founder had when, visiting London during the 2005 UK EU Presidency, just after the Deadly Terrorist Bombings at the Subway, when obliged to suddenly stop and get out to some Suburbs, we were surprised to find ousrelves, once in .. Pakistan, another time in .. India, and another.. in Latin America, or right inside ..central Africa ! (etc).

Indeed, each Suburb had been let to become a quasi-Exclusive Homeland of only one Foreign Region's Immigrants, living in Parallel, entirely Separate Communities, as if they were Differend Countries, or even Continents...

 ------------

Even without, perhaps, becoming necessarily the main issue for the forthcoming electoral campaign yet, a "message" on the differencies between the Republican Majority UMP and the "Socialist" Party, certainly is that Europe's Future is to Deepen the European Integration, and not to always pursue an endless Extension (Enlargement), told "EuroFora" MP Jean-Philippe Maurer, who had previously initiated in Strasbourg's area  Public Debates on France and EU's Identity and Future, that he prefers, from now-on, better focused on "Values" as he said.

 I.e. the Focus should be to build a European Political Project able to advance EU's integration, including for an efficient Economy, etc., as President Nicolas Sarkozy stressed, working together with other willing EU Member Countries, and particularly Germany, etc. On the contrary, EU's Expansion just for Expanding is not a clear aim at all, and certainly not a political project, he concluded, without his vice-presidency in the Friendship group with Turkey putting any obstacle on that, (since, obviously, even close friends are not necessarily obliged to be also both members of the same organizations, if they respect eachother's specific identity). 

------------------

+ Among our Values, what distinguishes us from other Political Movements, is, first of all, Man's Freedom, which implies also a Responsibility of every Man and Woman for their acts, and this has several repercussions also in terms of Penal and Social policies, added earlier Gueant :

    - F.ex., whoever violates Republican Laws must bear the consequences", he pointed out, denouncing those who reportedly "had made the figures for Delinquency explode" in the Past, "creating a Generation of Destabilized People, unable to distinguish between what is Good or Evil". On the contrary, "we want for Society to be Protected, and Law applied vis a vis those who aggress Honest People", he stressed, citing recent figures which indicate that Delinquency seriously diminished, compared to the Past, making Hundreds of Thousand of Victims Less than before.

    - "Similaly, on the Social field, awful Damages had been provoked in the Past", when "the "Socialist" Party had led the foundations of Assistanship, by Distording  the good idea of Solidarity", he denounced.

    - "Solidarity is about giving a Hand to those in need, to Help them use a chance to become able to work it out by themseleves, .. It's not about pushing People into the Culture of Permanent Pauverty", he criticized.

    - F.ex., "Socialists accuse us for refusing to admit that Unemployed People could continue receiving Benefits even if they refuse for more than 3 Years Jobs which correspond to their Level of Education", he observed.

    But this is a matter of Respect both to these People and of Justice also vis a vis those who work hard in order to earn a living, he added. Because Real Solidarity, is to support Work, Effort, Merit, and this is not contrary to an Ambitious Social policy, not by imposing Equal Salaries in whatever situations, but by giving to all an Equal Chance and helping People to become able to succeed.

F.ex., speaking of some Concrete Measures recently taken,  it was doing "Justice" to :  - "Exonerate Over-Work from Taxes, so that by working f.ex. 2 more Hours per week, People can add a Revenue even bigger than a 13th salary". - "Lower for Two Thirds the Revenue Taxes for the Poorest Taxpayers, even during the Global Crisis. - Revalorise Family allowances according to Inflation, in order to allow Families to preserve their purchasing power.  - "Augment + 25% the Minimum Allowance for Elderly or Handicaped People, even during the Global Crisis. - Set up a Minimum Service during Strikes in Public Transports, etc., so that People obliged to depend on them are no more taken "Hostages" by a Minority. - Save the Retirement System, while it was threatened, revalorize pensions for Widows, the Minimum for Old People, and Rural Retirement benefits. - Free 85% of Families from Succession Taxes. - Create "Excellence" Internships allowing to Brillant Students whose environment wouldn't allow to develop their capacities, to become able to enter in the Best, Prestigious Higher Schools (Universities). - Double the ReInsertion Allowances. - Raise the issue of Financial Support to Old People obliged to depend on others' help. - Put in order Public Debt so that our Children won't have to pay in future for what we spend today (etc), as he pointed out.

---------------------------------

Meanwhile, in the framework of "Horizon 2012" "Forums" on "Convention Europe", Young but also Adult Members of the French Governing Majority Party UMP, with the help of Senator Fabiene Keller, a.o., already started to debate Future EU policies on the spot, in a convivial but also serious ambiance, close to the beer, and hopefully coffee and fresh water buffet... , surrounded by a beautiful country natural landscape, able to inspire fresh ideas.