A vision of Europe from two French perspectives

BROUGHT TO BOOK: Published before the French presidential election My Vision of Europe didn't help socialist Lionel Jospin woo the voters. Despite its importance, the politics of the EU has never been a subject over which the man in the street gets excited.

My Vision of Europe and Globalisation

By Lionel Jospin

The Europe We Want

By Pascal Lamy and Jean Pisani-Ferry Polity

We're not used to politicians promoting their ideas in books in Ireland or Britain - we're just grateful they have them - but Jospin joins Italian Commission president Romano Prodi in putting pen to paper. Unlike Prodi, who wears his heart on his sleeve, Jospin's offering is less spirited.

However, he does offer a considered left-of-centre critique of globalisation - his vision is of a market economy, not a market society - and he has no qualms about putting forward regulation as a solution. Globalisation is not an unstoppable juggernaut of market forces for Jospin. It is a political issue demanding a political response.

He says a two-speed Europe is not an acceptable proposition. He argues for a European constitution to guide reformed institutions.

It may be surprising to learn that he welcomes the anti- globalisation mobilisations that have plagued so many economic summits. But he says states will play the decisive role because they have a political mandate.

Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy and economist Jean Pisani-Ferry haven't had more luck in wooing French voters than Jospin, as the left licks its wounds this week. The Europe We Want examines EU issues from a French left-of-centre perspective, including the obsession with Franco-German parity and the Common Agricultural Policy.

The authors warn about French nostalgia for the old Europe. Concerned with losing influence over the EU by becoming locked into opposing it, they point out that pro-European forces can be forced off course. For example, the euro-sceptic Tories were instrumental in Britain's accession.

The authors stress there are new battles to fight as Europe prepares for the next enlargement and their worries about public dissatisfaction with the EU are relevant as we prepare for the re-run of the Nice referendum.

My Vision of Europe and The Europe We Want are interesting contributions to the debate.