PARIS - President Emmanuel Macron has sensed an opportunity to market France as Europe’s next business destination after the coronavirus crisis and embarked on a charm offensive with international investors on Friday, French officials said.Despite France and much of Europe being in the midst of the coronavirus epidemic’s second wave, Macron is betting that investors will prefer the “upside risk” of his 100 billion euro recovery package to Brexit Britain or “stable” Germany.
“Britain is bogged down in Brexit, which isn’t helping promote their country,” another Macron adviser added. “Germany has a recovery package more tilted towards demand than supply, so they have no new selling case to speak of.” Asked about the timing of the sales pitch amid a resurgence in COVID-19 cases in France, which was forced to declare a second lockdown last month, the officials said investors were looking past the second wave and deciding now which countries would be the long-term post-coronavirus winners.
“What’s important to show is that France is not only focused on managing the crisis, but is also looking forward and transforming the economy,” he added.