English : THE BRUGES SPEECH.

Vincent Carriou 1AFIFB

Former Prime-minister Margaret Thatcher passed more legislation than any other Prime minister in Great-Britain's history, binding Great-Britain (GB) closer to Europe. For instance, in 1973 M. Thatcher supported the entry of GB in the European economic community and in 1986 she signed the European Single Act which liberalised Trade and instituted the free movement of capital and labour. Yet, she is seen as the most anti-European leader GB has ever had because of her forceful position towards European Comission of J. Delors. Moreover she was not in tune with other European leaders on the question of Europe as showed the rebate of about 1 billion pounds she obtained in 1984 after having declared « we want our money back! » concerning the fact that GB was giving more to Europe than receiving from it. This is what leads her to Bruges in 1988 to shed light on her conception of the European Community, in one of her most remembered speeches. In the first part, M. Thatcher begins with an overview of GB's relations with Europe then goes on to discuss what the community should look like, in her opinion. Finally, she explains the reasons why she advises European leaders to open up to wider horizons.

First and foremost, Mrs Thatcher begins by highlighting the conception that most of the European media had of her. Indeed this is why she draws a parallel with Genghis Khan a former-dictator of the Mongol empire, mostly known for being barbarous, which shows that “the iron lady” was seen as a threat to Europe and not the Prime-minister of a European country, which she was. Such vision is omitting GB's past towards Europe and the role GB played in shaping Europe through the past decades. As a matter of fact GB had prevented Europe from falling under the tyranny of a country that would have allowed no freedom nor justice during World War II, “we have fought and we have died for her freedom” even said Thatcher about