Bromance seems a non-runner with mercurial Macron
Political Editor, in Paris LEO is going to have to brush up after delivering some local patter in an atrocious French accent yesterday – because French president Emmanuel Macron intends to visit Ireland next year.
The Taoiseach will probably take him for a run in the Phoenix Park, as he did with jogger Justin Trudeau, unless the weather is still bad. And on that front, our recent wee bit of wind made headlines in France.
President Macron declared gravely at the Élysée: ‘First and foremost, I want to express condolences for the Ophelia storm, which caused such a disaster and took three lives in Ireland.’
He then wandered off into waffle about Europe making progress on the Banking Union, defence matters, and tax issues – serious stuff in a gilded room, where there were multi-candle sconces mounted on panelled columns. Between rather decent paintings.
Behind him, a beautiful fountain sprouted and fell in a gorgeous garden, and somewhere unseen wandered Nemo the presidential pooch, who had made international headlines a day earlier after cocking a leg against one of the columns in that very same room at another press conference. Sacre bleu!
The Taoiseach only had to rain on Emmanuel’s digital tax parade, which was done in private, allowing only sweetness and light to be dispensed at the rostrum as they summed up afterwards.
Leo tried to lighten the mood and to Justin it up a bit by joking: ‘We both took office recently as the EU’s youngest leaders – although one of them is younger by a couple of months.’ He was referring to himself.
The Taoiseach certainly seemed to enjoy his first official visit to the Élysée. However, he ruefully admitted a ‘difference of opinion’ on digital tax, for which also read corporation tax. Macron promises to be a tough nut to crack, with no outward sign that he will be Leo’s European Trudeau.
And there was no sign of the First Lady, the famous kidnapping teacher Brigitte, who stole Emmanuel’s heart and is now the most famous French consort since Carla Bruni.
Maybe she was taking Nemo to the park, lest he express an opinion on Irish tax policy – and make us wish instead for the days of the plain old Gallic spat.