Why did France, with its strong sense of national identity, want to give up the Franc for the Euro? This book, by a former British diplomat in Paris, draws on new archive evidence to explore France's drive for European Economic and Monetary Union, and how unresolved Franco-German tensions over its design led to crisis.
"Caton's book might ... be seen as a testament to a disturbing gulf between academic EU studies and diplomacy. ... This book ... has obvious added value for scholars and students of European integration, and specifically the move to and operation of EMU and French policy on EMU." (David Howarth, Journal of Common Market Studies, Vol. 54 (5), 2016)
'Caton gives a brisk and clear chronological summary of the decades of position papers, election campaigns, summits and high-level committees. She goes beyond her French focus to describe the infighting between the German Bundesbank and the country's more European-minded politicians.' Edward Hadas, Reuters Breakingviews blog
'Caton gives a brisk and clear chronological summary of the decades of position papers, election campaigns, summits and high-level committees. She goes beyond her French focus to describe the infighting between the German Bundesbank and the country's more European-minded politicians.' Edward Hadas, Reuters Breakingviews blog