Spokespeople at the Elysée Palace had promised a "non-partisan" speech on Europe intended for all French people. But listening to Sarkozy in south of France on Tuesday, there is little doubt that this was truly a campaign speech.
For 45 minutes, the French head of state reviewed many areas from a European perspective, ranging from the financial crisis to Turkey and the Lisbon Treaty.
Financial crisis and EU economic integration
On the financial crisis, which erupted in full force in the second half of 2008 during the French EU Presidency, Sarkozy said "France has shouldered its responsibilities," and recalled that the G20 summit in London was convened at his initiative.
Sarkozy linked the economic crisis to a "profound moral and intellectual crisis" that he believed Europe was able of tackling. The expression is akin to the "moralisation of financial capitalism" that has become one of Sarkozy's trademarks since the crisis began, highlighting his distance from the Anglo-Saxon model of capitalism rooted in financial markets.
According to Sarkozy, Europe should be more involved in shaping this new economic order, which he sees as a justification for further political integration at European level.
The crisis showed that "we can not only govern the European economy with accountancy criteria," he said, criticising the Commission's attitude, which consisted of "looking at the amount of a deficit without looking at what it finances".
"European economic policies should be concerted," he continued, arguing that "Europe needs a common economic policy". "This policy cannot be limited to an inflation target and stability criteria," he insisted.
Political ambition and activism
For the French president, no objective seems unattainable, provided that there is political will. "The question is not what Europe can do, but what Europe wants to do," he insisted, referring directly to the UMP slogan for EU elections ('When Europe wants, Europe can').
"The most important thing is Europe's capacity to take initiatives," Sarkozy stressed, arguing that "a Europe which acts is a successful Europe".
He said that discussions at European level were necessary on all issues, including monetary policy, fiscal policy, competition policy and taxation. "Competition is a means, not an end in itself," Sarkozy said, repeating an earlier stance which caused much debate in the UK financial and economic press.
Recalling an agreement which he had helped to broker on lower VAT rates for restaurants and other labour-intensive sectors, he further criticised the unanimity rule on tax issues.
Referring to the "Europe of founding fathers" which emerged after the Second World War, he called for more ambition in France's approach to EU political integration.
Summarising his two years as French president, he said: "We didn't have enough ambition for France, and not enough for Europe". But "we will not succeed in reforming France without Europe," he said.
At the press conference of the last EU summit he chaired in December, Sarkozy stated that European integration had only been possible only through "great ambitions", an expression he took up word-for-word in his Nîmes speech (EurActiv.fr 12/12/08).
"This is a Europe of common policies," he said, a Europe which was intended to "protect" Europeans by applying "Community preference". These two themes - 'Community preference' and 'a protective Europe' - are at the centre of the UMP's European campaign. "This is the spirit of this Europe that we must reclaim," he said.
"If we don't fight to change Europe, Europe will not change all by itself," Sarkozy concluded.
Lisbon Treaty
Turning to institutional issues, Sarkozy came back on the referendum on the draft EU constitution, which in 2005 had divided French citizens.
"We should not ignore the difference between the France which voted 'yes' and the France which voted 'no'," he said. "If we want to reconcile both [...], it is necessary to change Europe," he insisted. "Is this possible?," he asked rhetorically, answering: "That is what France did during the French Presidency of the European Union."
Later during his speech, the French president added: "The Lisbon Treaty's adoption is an inescapable rendezvous for Europe. He called for a Union with stable institutions, implying that the Council's current system of rotating presidencies was not satisfactory.
Enlargement and Turkey
Moving on to the EU's future expansion, he said "Europe should not be constantly watered down by endless enlargements". But while restating his support for a Europe with clear borders, he also said: "I do not want Europe to be a fortress."
As expected, Sarkozy spoke against Turkey's EU accession, a theme which has become a central to his UMP party campaign and which was taken up by Eurosceptic parties such as Libertas and the far-right Front National.
Turkey "is not intended to become an EU member," Sarkozy stressed, saying Ankara should nevertheless be linked to the EU from an economic and security point of view.
He even placed Turkey and Russia on an equal footing, saying that both countries should establish "an economic and security common area" with the EU. In this way, the bloc could "create an area of 800 million people who share the same prosperity and security," he said.
Environment and energy
On the environment, the French president once more defended his vision of a "carbon tax" on products imported from countries which do not respect the EU's strict environmental rules. He also suggested the creation of a central system for European natural gas purchases.
