During a long period of time, energy policies were following economic or strategic considerations : to exploit natural resources the best possible way for those which had them, to guarantee supply security, to support the development of industrial sectors bringing a relative independence accompanied with job creations and exports which resulted from them. This time seems to be over in some countries like Germany and France where “turnarounds” in energy policies have been largely influenced by political considerations.

Angela Merkel CDU is much less strong than it is generally believed. It governs thanks to an alliance with Bavaria CSU but it ...

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Government satisfaction expressed during last council of Ministers at the Elysée palace this week, after the publication of the first estimation of 4th quarter (+0.2%) and last year (+1,1%) growth was not justified. Official comments which were accompanying it gave a too favorable presentation of the reality. They were not convincing since they depend on the basis of the comparison. The result is higher than in 2014 (+0.2%) but it was not very difficult. On the opposite, our major competitors did much better, the U.S. and the U.K. both were around 2.5% and ...

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2016 will be, in Europe, a critical year but not for the reasons we think. A Brexit is unlikely. To gamble with the idea in a poll or at the Commons, in order to show his dissatisfaction is one thing, to risk to destabilize the economy of his country is a different thing. The City relies on the implantation of international banks and a lot of non European enterprises have chosen England as an entry point to Europe. Its deficit financing depends on foreign investors. Electors begin to be aware of these realities. Prime Minister Cameron knows it. But, in ...

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