PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - I wonder how Cameron's "special relationship" with France now stands
Old 6th May 2012, 21:58
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Melchett01
 
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The carriers etc could be a tricky one. My guess is that Hollande won't do anything in the short term. No point in going at it like a bull in a china shop and raising collective hackles. Instead, I would guess that we will see a few initial noises aimed at showing Europe that Hollande is his own man and won't blindly carry on along Sarkozy's preferred route, followed by gradual changes.

Bear in mind Hollande is a socialist. That means despite his protests that austerity isn't working, deep down his policies are really aimed at lowering retirement ages, ensuring employee terms and conditions and hammering the rich. If military cooperation is seen to boost the French economy through investment in key political areas, I would guess he will go ahead with it. On the other hand, if it costs and doesn't appear to lead to any tangible benefits for constituents - and therefore him as President and the Socialists as the ruling party - then we will see it quietly slip by the way side and Cameron will have to find another plan to ensure the UK has a vaguely semi-credible defence strategy.
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