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What a faux-pas! As Cameron meets Hollande – here’s what he said before the French elections

July 10, 2012 11:12 am

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Today David Cameron is meeting Francoid Hollande to discuss “the range of bilateral issues”. Yet it could be something of a frosty encounter, as David Cameron openly backed Hollande’s opponent Nicholas Sarkozy in this year’s Presidential election. Here are just a few of the endorsement’s Cameron gave Sarko:

Speaking back in February to Le Figaro, Cameron said:

“Nicolas Sarkozy has my support. I say it clearly”

At a joint press conference with the then French President, Cameron said:

“We’ll be following your fortunes in the weeks to come on the campaign trail and, as I said, I wish you luck”

“I admire Nicolas Sarkozy’s courage and his leadership and I think he has achieved great things for his country.”

Unsurprisingly comments like these led Hollande to remark that Conservative European leaders “don’t like me very much”.

That could make today’s meeting a little awkward…

However it’s not the first time Cameron’s reverse midas touch has been at work in foreign elections. Cameron also backed John McCain for US President.

 

Related posts:

  1. The “third round” of the French Presidential elections…
  2. Ed Miliband should campaign for François Hollande
  3. What Sarkozy really thinks about Cameron
  4. A cautious welcome for primaries in the French Socialist Party
  5. Cameron’s impersonation of a German guard is a national embarrassment
  • Realist

    *yawn*

  • treborc

    I doubt  it Hollande looks to be a very good solid politician, he will know that what was said before the election means nothing now, he may well hate the sight of Cameron but he also knows as politician he has to work with him as he does with Merkel  who also said a few things her self about Hollande.

    That’s politics if Miliband did not have a thick skin about who voted for his brother he would not last long would he.

  • John Ruddy

    How about something about the fact that France’s borrowing costs are plummeting – despite them having elected a “tax the rich and spend to boost the economy” socialist?

    • Guest

      France’s borrowing costs are coming down as a result of the market deciding which economies are too big to fail, and which are not.  People are hedging their bets on France, in that whatever happens down the line, the EU will bail it out.  That gives the markets assurance on France that it doesn’t have for Spain and Italy.

      It’s nothing to do with Hollande or any action he has taken, it’s to do with France being the second most important player in the Eurozone.

      • Brumanuensis

        Why would Italy be any less likely to be bailed out than France?

  • franwhi

    You need to look up the definition of faux pas cos it’s not what you’re describing. What you’re describing is just politicking and articulating support for an ally. A  faux pas is more like a Bushism – a social blunder like asking what the French know about entrepreneurs for example. While you’re looking up faux pas look up realpolitik cos that’s what the meeting of Cameron and Hollande is all about. 

    • Brumanuensis

      It is something of a faux pas given that in international affairs, governments are supposed to remain neutral on internal political matters. So backing Sarkozy so overtly was poor form on Cameron’s part.

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