On BFM Business: “Boris Johnson Prime Minister, what Brexit?”

Yves Bertoncini spoke on 23 July 2019 on BFM Business from 12:15 to 13:15.

Were also around the table:
– Thierry Drilhon, President of the Franco-British Chamber of Commerce
– Jacques Gounon, CEO of Getlink
– Antoine Larigaudrie from the editorial staff of BFM Business
– Patrick Martin-Genier, Professor of Europe and Public Affairs

“The difficulty for Boris Johnson will be to move from lyrical campaign rhetoric to the reality of power.”
The President of the European Movement – France spoke about the challenges facing the new British Prime Minister: moving from campaign rhetoric calling on the British imagination to the reality of power. Internally, he is not in a comfortable position, being elected with a narrow majority. It is possible that he surrounds himself with heavyweights to do the work (from the Brexit hard, Brexit soft, even anti-Brexit camp); he, a good communicator, would play a representative role.

“Boris Johnson’s challenge will be to manage economic and human interdependence in a context of political independence.”
Boris Johnson, a true “brexiter”, should have come to power three years ago to negotiate the UK’s exit from the EU. It arrives late, and a 500-page agreement has already been written. Today, Brussels, which considers him a “pragmatic buffoon”, is hoping for concessions; it is ready to give him the oxygen he needs to reach an agreement. This would allow a transition period until the end of 2020/2022, and the maintenance of a certain stability for investors. In the case of a “no deal”, there is first of all a risk of trade taxes; even more problematic: if the British are no longer in the European Economic Area, there will be differences in standards….