That the most chauvinistic French rejoice (or grieve), the clan of seven or G7 was born of a French initiative. It is the French president Valéry Giscard d'Estaing who, in a context of crisis related to the oil crisis (1973), had the idea to gather in 1975, the largest world economic powers, including France, Japan, Germany, Italy, the United States and the United Kingdom to form what will be called the first G6, - Canada will join the very restricted club that the following year. Out of protocol, the goal was to bring together the world's most influential leaders in an informal setting - and outside the UN cenacle - to quickly put in place a better regulation of globalization.
Originally, in the gardens of Rambouillet ...
Thus, from November 15 to 17, 1975, handpicked journalists plant their cameras in the gardens of Rambouillet Castle, immortalizing what will become the rendezvous of the largest GDP on the planet. At that time, G7 members alone accounted for 70% of global GDP. By comparison, they now account for only 45% of global GDP and 10% of the world's population.
And in its infancy, we can say that the formula works. "After the summits, we guessed that there was a consensus on some financial decisions that were translated at the time to the IMF [International Monetary Fund], says Régine Perron, professor in history of international relations at the University of Cergy -Pontoise, at the Franceinfo site The objective was not to fall into protectionism and the currency war. "
French pomp
In 1982, the G7 - rotating presidency forces - is held again in France, under the leadership of the new head of state François Mitterrand. The international meeting takes this year a turning point, marked by an invitation of the most grandiose. On June 4 and 5, the Socialist President welcomed the foreign delegations under the gold of Versailles in a splendor that Louis XIV would not have denied. We discuss "economic difficulties linked to inflation", the Falklands war and Israel's invasion of Lebanon, in the hall of the coronation of the castle. The meeting ends in apotheosis: dinner in the Hall of Mirrors, show at the Opera, concert at the Royal Chapel and fireworks shot in the gardens illuminated with nocturnal water games, under the music on horseback of the Republican Guard. Each host departs the next day by helicopter, stars in full view, but without concrete solutions, according to observers of the time.
The liberal Reagan / Thatcher couple
From 1984 to 1988, the summits were marked by the temptation of the Anglo-Saxon Ronald Reagan / Margaret Thatcher duo to impose a liberal economic model on the other members of the group. In 1988, the seven powers still decided to provide aid to developing countries by partially canceling their debt.
In its beginnings, "the G7 offered the major Western economies the opportunity to consult," said Bertrand Badie, a professor at Science-Po Paris and a specialist in international relations, in an interview with France 24. But since the 1980s, the claims of its actors have grown considerably, the areas of activity and consultation have broadened to major political and commercial issues, and then to climate and financial issues.Today, it is particularly a question of taxing Gafa: themes that did not correspond Initiators are also striving to position themselves in globalization, which is therefore more complicated and far less relevant. "
Russia joins the G8 and then leaves
In the early 1990s, Russia entered the small cenacle as an observer. Then-British Prime Minister John Major sends a letter to his G7 counterparts asking for permission to invite Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev to the 1991 summit in London. The latter had indeed asked to go there in order to obtain economic support from the West to Russia. But it is actually Margaret Thatcher, who, before resigning, began the steps in this direction. In 1997, Russia officially joined the G7 to form the G8.
Before being excluded in 2014 .... Heads of State and Government of European, North American and Japanese members decide to suspend their participation in the 2014 G8 - then under Russian presidency - due to the violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine by the Russian Federation. The meeting is nevertheless held during the year between the seven members.
The Trump years
Western countries continue their coordination work in the 2000s year after year, but the arrival of Donald Trump in power makes meetings more and more difficult. In June 2018, faithful to its "America First" campaign slogan, the White House tenant scuttles the summit in La Malbaie, Canada, withdrawing his support for the final communiqué of the summit despite the compromise that had been obtained from fight on trade issues.
Criticized from all sides, even within its actors, the G7 looks a little more like a "club of old powers," says professor emeritus Bertrand Badie.What defines the G7 today is the claim of the old powers to to rule the world, which is in contradiction with the very parameters of globalization, and to continue, in a globalized world, it is obvious that the idea of the Western world loses its meaning.When it was created in 1975, the G7 covered a real world, that of the Western Hemisphere, which opposed the Soviet system.Today, what does the Western world (expanded to Japan) mean?
Aware of the criticism, Emmanuel Macron chose to innovate for the 2019 summit in Biarritz, bringing together four major partners such as South Africa, Australia, Chile and India. A good idea to save the fire of the critics and to perpetuate this French initiative? Answer Sunday evening.