Paris (AFP)

The United Kingdom will have to make "a lot of efforts" to regain a "real influence" in the world after its exit from the European Union, anticipates the French diplomat Sylvie Bermann, author of "Goodbye Britannia, The United Kingdom in challenge of Brexit ", in an interview with AFP.

Ambassador to London from 2014 to 2017, she witnessed the Brexit referendum in 2016 and raised a few frowns in Britain by calling Prime Minister Boris Johnson an "unrepentant liar".

Q: How is the UK doing two months after casting off the EU?

Does he outsmart the predictions of the Europeans who saw him losing?

A: "I'm not sure. More than 700,000 Europeans have left the country. There are difficulties in trade relations in Northern Ireland. That is why the British wanted to extend the period of thanks (on the controls of goods arriving in the province from Great Britain, Editor's note).

Amsterdam has overtaken London as a financial center.

Some companies have indicated that they will move to the continent because it will become much more complicated to export.

There is also a lot more bureaucracy than before.

And Brexit is not over.

It’s a bit like the beginning.

There are still plenty of unresolved issues.

We see it with Northern Ireland.

No agreement has been reached on financial services which represent 80% of the country's exports. "

Q: The UK is leading the race today in Europe on immunization.

Is Boris Johnson playing it to hide the difficulties linked to Brexit?

A: "The health crisis hides the rest a bit because the British vaccination campaign is much better than that of the Europeans. Well done for that.

It's not completely due to Brexit either, although it's been valued like that.

In fact, the vaccine order was made while the UK was still constrained by European rules.

It is normal that Boris Johnson is surfing on this success.

But the UK remains among the worst affected countries in the world.

I'm a little surprised it was made a big deal out of him because I said he was a liar.

It's well known.

He was first fired by The Times (when he was the newspaper's correspondent in Brussels).

All journalists in the UK are aware of his "Euromyths".

Many knew they were inventions (making a mockery of the EU) but they had an impact, they somehow prepared the reaction against Europe. "

Q: What does the UK represent on the international stage now and what about its "special relationship" with the US?

A: "The main data today in the world is this Cold War between the United States and China. The Chinese are interested in the EU. This is one of the reasons why they accepted concessions. in December regarding the investment agreement, and the Americans want European support for a certain policy of containing China.

In this triangular USA / China / EU relationship, it is more difficult for the United Kingdom to play a role.

They are going to have to put in a lot more effort to have a real influence in the world.

As for the "special relationship" with the United States, it is especially special for the British.

The United States often used the British as a bridge or relay with the EU.

Obviously it is a role that is lost.

Boris Johnson is lucky because he is chairing the G7 this year.

He will also have the COP26 (climate conference) in November in Glasgow.

This gives it visibility that would be more difficult to achieve otherwise. "

© 2021 AFP