France
Sarkozy's economics is not working
16.09.2008
By: Wolfgang Munchau
Sarkozy has miscalculated the budget deficit issue. Politically France is losing influence, and economically, he has now insufficient room for manoeuvre to confront the economic downturn.
A tale of two countries
03.06.2008
By: Wolfgang Münchau
France is reforming, Germany is not only not reforming, but anti-reforming, with new minimum and soon perhaps maximum wages. So why is everybody so optimistic about Germany, and so pessimistic about France?
A Berlusconi-Sarkozy alliance in Europe?
17.04.2008
By: Richard Robert, Telos think tank
As French President Nicolas Sarkozy was among the first to congratulate the newly elected Italian leader, concern is growing on a possible Berlusconi-Sarkozy alliance in Europe. But even if both leaders have a common rhetoric on specific topics, such as monetary or immigration policy, their goals and strategies look different.
Genuine reforms please, not more taxis
18.03.2008
By: Wolfgang Münchau
The Attali Commission repeated all the mistakes economic reformers made in the past. It produced a list that is too long and too unfocused.