Macron will be TOUGH on Brexit Britain but won't punish UK, warns French economic advisor
EMMANUEL MACRON’s chief economic advisor has insisted France’s president-elect has “no interest” in punishing Britain for Brexit.
Macron advisor: He will be 'tough' during Brexit negotiations
Jean Pisani-Ferry argued the pro-EU centrist would be “tough and demanding” during negotiations but played down Mr Macron’s previous criticisms of Britain’s vote to leave the bloc.
Before his victory, Mr Macron described Brexit as a “crime” and told the UK to “expect consequences” as a result of its divorce from Brussels.
But, on Monday, his team appeared to row back on the damning remarks, telling the BBC it was in nobody’s interest to pursue a so-called hard Brexit.
Jean Pisani-Ferry said Macron would not seek to punish Britain for Brexit
Punish? Certainly not
Mr Pisani-Ferry told the Today programme: “We have divergent interests on some aspects of the negotiations. So there will be a tough negotiation and he will be tough.”
Pushed on whether Mr Macron would seek retribution against Britain, he added: “Punish? Certainly not. But he believes that today that Europe is part of the solution to the problems we're facing.
The centrist previously branded Brexit as a 'crime'
“He is a very committed pro-European and he is not the kind of man who would implicitly agree with the dismantling of the EU.
“He’s very keen on building more integration, he’s very keen on the Eurozone, he’s very keen on defence cooperation so for this reason, he is both criticising the EU as it is and he will be a tough and demanding partner.”
In his victory speech on Sunday, the En Marche! chief promised to “defend and protect Europe”.
Speaking in Paris after securing 66.06 per cent of the final vote, Emmanuel Macron told his supporters it was now up to him to “rebuild” Europe “ensuring the safety of all of the French”.
Assembly member: Macron needs economic relationship with UK
In an interview last year, the Europhile told Bloomberg he did not want a “tailor-made” Brexit deal that gives Britain “the better of the two worlds”.
He added: “Otherwise it will be a big incentive for all the members of the club to leave or to kill the European ideas.”
But, French minister Axelle Lemaire, also took to the airwaves on Monday to insist Mr Macron had no interest in harming the UK for its departure from the bloc.
Crowds gathered in Paris on Sunday night to celebrate Macron's victory
She said: “He will, in a very realistic and pragmatic way, have to build an economic relationship that works with Britain, but there is no willingness to punish Britain for Brexit, that was a choice of the British people.”
Ms Lemaire added: “We have to respect that, but starting from that the negotiations will be fair and realistic.”