Some of the petty bureaucrats of the European Union seem to be dead set on making petty little digs at the UK.
Today, one of the 'Giants' of the EU, Jean-Claude Juncker, made a wholly unnecessary and utterly spurious remark about the English language before he very pointedly made a speech in French. He commented that English was "losing importance in Europe", clearly not understanding that English is the language of choice for virtually all major international communications. While English is an almost mandatory second language for the vast majority of the world, French is spoken by the French plus a handful of third world nations, and almost no one else.
Juncker is a man of enormous self-importance, having been Prime Minister and Finance Minister of that great world power, Luxemburg, before his elevation to various positions in the European Union. Now, it seems, he is determined to make a name for himself by gaining as many negative 'Brexit' headlines as he can and, perhaps, making the process of negotiation as uncomfortable as possible.
However, soon after Juncker's pathetic jibe, another Eurocrat, Michel Barnier indicated a degree of unhappiness with his colleague's remarks by very pointedly making a speech in English. Barnier is the EU's chief Brexit negotiator and he, at least, seems to want to avoid the petty vindictiveness of Juncker and his ilk. It is good to know that at least some of the EU hierarchy know how to behave and appear to want to have a positive and productive negotiation. Barnier has, of course, served in a number of senior positions in governments of a proper country, France, so perhaps does not feel the same sense of inferiority as does Juncker and is consequently less prone to feel a need to grab the headlines with silly comments.
Juncker is an egotistical fool while Barnier seems to be a man of much greater substance and political ability. Fingers crossed that it's Barnier who really does hold sway.
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