Paris (AFP)
The departure of the United Kingdom from the EU this Friday at midnight is "a shock" and "a historic warning signal" for "the whole of Europe", said French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday, a few hours from Brexit.
"This departure is a shock. It is a historic alarm signal which must sound in each of our countries, be heard by the whole of Europe and make us think," said the head of state in a statement. recorded at the Élysée.
"This Brexit is possible (...) because we have too often made Europe a scapegoat for our own difficulties, because also we have not changed our Europe enough". "More than ever, we need Europe, facing China or the United States to defend our interests," he insisted.
But we must make Europe "more sovereign, more democratic, closer to our fellow citizens and therefore also simpler in its daily life and that we succeed in rebuilding a clearer European project".
"It is a sad day, let us not hide it. But it is a day which must also lead us to proceed differently. To build with even more determination a powerful, effective European Union which manages to convince you more" , said the French president.
Referring to the 2016 Brexit campaign, according to him "made up of lies, exaggeration, simplifications, checks that we promised and that will never arrive", it shows "that we must remember at all times what lies can lead to in our democracies. "
Macron insisted that "throughout 2020 we will experience a period of transition" scheduled until December 31. "Tomorrow in a very practical way, nothing will change in our relations with the United Kingdom", he said, wanting to reassure both French citizens in the United Kingdom and British nationals who are "in France at home ", "today and tomorrow".
He also spoke of the negotiations on the future relationship, stressing that the EU must "remain united" at 27 to lead them. He also received the European negotiator Michel Barnier Friday at the end of the day.
This new "partnership", Emmanuel Macron wants it "strong". "But I also want it to be demanding because I want to protect you, defend you, protect the unity of our Europe which is essential".
He finally said "deeply attached to the fact that during these negotiations, our interests, that is to say the interests of our fishermen, our farmers, our industrialists, our researchers, our workers, our students be retained. "
"But it will not be the same as the relationship we have known for a few decades. We cannot be both inside and outside. The British people have chosen to leave the European Union. They will no longer have the same homework, so he will no longer have the same rights, "he warned.
© 2020 AFP