French express sympathy for people in UK but struggle to see how impasse can be solved

While one French newspaper warned “Europe held hostage by British conservatives”, the mood among those heading to work on Wednesday in central Paris – where since late last year there have been weekly protests against the government – was one of concern and sympathy for British people across the Channel.

“Negotiations seem to be going round in circles,” said Cyrille Baudrin, 51, who works in local administration. He said Britain’s apparent agony in working out Brexit could be viewed as a family dispute that needed very gentle, expert counselling and mediation. He was worried about the anger and rage that seemed to be simmering through politics and society.

Perhaps someone could sit down with the main players for a few days. Just to pick a random example, say Barack Obama Cyrille Baudrin

“The priority is to unblock things, ideally with outside help,” he said. “Perhaps someone from an outside country could sit down with the main players for a few days and, through charisma and intelligence, calm it all down. Just to pick a random example, say Barack Obama.

“It’s not the UK’s fault, I don’t blame England. However, at some point, political leaders have to take responsibility and explain what really will be best for people and society – spell out how people’s lives will improve going forward. If not, hatred will be fed, and that hatred will be used to turn people against each other.”

His daughter, who is at Sorbonne University in Paris, had brought forward her study year abroad in the UK “as a precaution” because of Brexit and greatly enjoyed her stay. The political impasse as well as Britain’s exit from the EU was “a shame”, he said.

“I do fear for you in Britain,” said Liliane, a city hall worker. “I’m worried you’ll end up isolated and that it’s ordinary British people who’ll be left struggling and paying the price for all this.” Asked what she thought British politicians should do to end the deadlock, she replied: “Good lord, who is France to give lessons right now? Look at the state we’re in ourselves.”

As France grapples with gilets jaunes (yellow vests) anti-government protests that have been running for more than two months, some demonstrators have cited Brexit as an example of the people standing up to a privileged elite and wanting to change the system.

“Britain leaving the EU is a way to stand up to governments and say loud and clear that politics should be done differently,” said Nathalie, a mother from Brittany who had attended gilets jaunes street protests each Saturday in Paris. Just as some gilets jaunes protesters have called for more referendums in French politics, some have warned that the UK’s 2016 Brexit vote should be respected.

“The people voted, the result has to be accepted,” said a logistics worker from Brittany who had demonstrated in Paris.

France’s centrist, pro-Europe president, Emmanuel Macron, has recently cited Brexit to argue that referendums can create more problems than they solve. Many French voters remember France’s own painful and divisive poll in 2005 when the country voted no to the EU constitution, helping scupper the agreement.

Georges, 72, a retired physicist, admitted to “complete bafflement” as to what might happen next over Brexit. “There’s a crisis in Britain because a political party tried to resolve its differences on the back of Europe,” he shrugged. “And there seems to be a cultural issue at play with some seeing Britain as a great empire that can go it alone. But at the end of the day, the politicians who campaigned for Brexit didn’t explain what it would involve or the consequences.”