It is work competitiveness and better regulated world

It is François Fillon, day before yesterday in the National Assembly, which is responsible for defending the economic record of Nicolas Sarkozy to mid-term. Economic indicators, proficiency with blackened by the crisis, the Prime Minister chose the European comparison to meet Jean-Marc Ayrault (PS), requesting inter alia that he left "of the President of the purchasing power." "In 2009, we will make two times better than other European countries in economic terms" - either a recession to 2.2, against 4-5 - and "in 2010, the European Commission credits us of the best growth rate of the euro area", explained the Prime Minister. On the "painful record of unemployment", the France will make "10 points less than the average of the euro area" in growth rates, step level, Editor's note, he defended. Conclusion: "we are not in 1983: we will not change its policy, a part of the majority is not leaving us and we do not intend to stringency to the French."

The time, yet is delicate: If the France has better withstood the crisis than its neighbours, it should in part to its recovery plan, but a pre-existing social model in 2007, also the traditional counterpart is the difficulty to keep the pace in the phases of recovery. In other words, the Government will now be held on its ability to exit the France - this "slow country", in the words of Jacques Attali - its tropism for "soft growth." There is a month, the measures of strengthening of own funds for SMEs, Nicolas Sarkozy assured: "I have not been elected to, mid-term, said:"it's over, it does nothing."."

On behalf of pragmatism

With the large loan to the agenda, the policy of continuity in the breakdown, by François Fillon, is also displayed by the Elysee: "There is no inflection on the fundamental values", explains. "It is work, competitiveness and better regulated world." The logic of economic policy is not challenged by the crisis. "It needs to embody in the States General of the industry, Nicolas Sarkozy repeated his refusal to build"a France without plants. Economic policy remains in turn interventionist or liberal to the claimed name of pragmatism.

A notable difference with the period 2007-2009, all the same, is the financing of this applied. Ironically, the crisis created budgetary margin of manoeuvre, the magnitude of the loss of tax revenues and deficits in minimizing the cost in comparison reforms. It perhaps was easier to defend business tax as early as 2010 and single-stage relief, that it would have been without the crisis. Similarly, Jacques Attali was commissioned two years ago to find "the point of growth which lack us" by "lifting the brakes" regulatory and cultural of French society, the large borrowing, which pursues the same objective today, focuses on "spending", be "for the future."An inflection that creates tension and concern in the majority, already divided on the cost-effectiveness of certain choices like the tax shield or VAT recovery.

If it is already clear that the public deficit will remain very high at the end of legislature, despite the commitments of François Fillon, the Government's economic record will be considered in the light of the evolution of the employment rate of potential growth and the rate of poverty. Previously, pensions site will set up a test key, as early as next year, of the will of the head of State to continue to carry out difficult structural reforms.