Bonum Certa Men Certa

Battistelli's Furious Love Affair With French Power: Part IV

ÉNASummary: A closer look at École nationale d'administration (ÉNA) and its loathsome role in French politics, in addition to some remarks about ÉNA alumnus Battistelli with his poor performance in a zero-competition sector (he has got a monopoly) and made up figures, which give only an illusion of success

IN ORDER for the story of Benoît Battistelli's EPO to be understood it helps to understand Battistelli himself. In order to understand where Battistelli comes from (other than INPI) we decided to go further back in time and explore where Battistelli and many other arrogant politicians or administrators had come from (ÉNA).



There is a French letter to Battistelli which we hope to have translated into English (someone said s/he would work on it two weeks ago, but never got around to it) and this recent long post that someone is already working on translating into English. It says a lot about Battistelli and Napoleon.

"In order to understand where Battistelli comes from (other than INPI) we decided to go further back in time and explore where Battistelli and many other arrogant politicians or administrators had come from (ÉNA)."Having already published a teaser, part one, part two, and part three of this series (the next part will be the most important), several readers wrote to us with further information and some offered translations from French. One reader wrote to us about Lagarde and Battistelli. "According to her bio," the reader wrote, "Lagarde was between 18/3/2008 to 13/11/2010 minister for the approximate French equivalent of the DTI, from which depends the French patent office [INPI], so CL and Battistelli would have had at least official reasons to mingle."

Another reader told us, "here is a great document about the ENA and the "governance" of France. Just read the introduction and chapter I. It is amazing, isn't it? I'll try to provide you with English translations of pages 4 to 7 (introduction + chapter 1)."

Earlier today we finally got a full translation. The reader said, "here is the translation of part of the book I referred to yesterday: "Livre noir de l'ENA". Translation might not be perfect."

The translation with parts of it emphasised (in bold font) can be found below:

Introduction



In 2007, for France to survive, we need to free us from the omnipotence of the ENA.

Since 1974, France is declining; since 1974, France is behind other nations and its international influence has continued to decrease.

"1974: this is the beginning of the rise in unemployment but also to the arrival at the pinnacle of power and to maturity of a postwar generation of ENA graduates (ENA, "Nation School of Administration")."There are plenty of analyses and explanations, or rather excuses, abound, but the decline continues, inexorably.

Why? Because nobody dared to draw the obvious conclusion, and much less dared formulate what some will regard as sacrilege: if France is declining, it is because of its ruling class, one that we all used to put on a pedestal because it represents the power, because it takes most of the control levers, because it receives honours and decorations.

1974: this is the beginning of the rise in unemployment but also to the arrival at the pinnacle of power and to maturity of a postwar generation of ENA graduates (ENA, "Nation School of Administration").

It is a class in which most members, if they were brilliant during exams, are incompetent once in the real world.

"Even worse, this is not even a class but a caste, i.e. a small group of men and women, who have seized power not to serve the Nation, which should be the first reason, but to serve themselves and increase their privileges."When these little geniuses of this kind are confronted with the market, then they act without protection of the State that fed them, and then it ends in most of the cases in a disaster (see biographies for the "Titanic Promotion").

Very few are those who survived inadequate training and mandarinism, system that destroyed medieval China and consisting in giving the leadership and the power for all their life to 25 years old young people, under the sole pretext that they have managed difficult exams.

Even worse, this is not even a class but a caste, i.e. a small group of men and women, who have seized power not to serve the Nation, which should be the first reason, but to serve themselves and increase their privileges.

While the vast majority of the énarques serve the State with skill and dedication, about hundred careerists who holds the key positions at the head of the State or companies are characterized by their incompetence, irresponsibility and serve their personal interests.

Within this caste, there are hardly statesmen, men for whom the interests of the country come before self-interest.

The most dramatic is that this caste, which paralyses France, is composed of a number very limited number of individuals. Former students of the ENA, because that's essentially all it's about, are just over 5000. But these are only a few hundred careerist énarques who have control over almost all key positions in the administration and high Executive, through which they actually control the legislature. Thus, almost 80% of the positions as Director of the Ministry of Finance, 75% of the positions as heads of departments in Ministries, as well as the Presidency of the Republic are in the hands of ENA graduates.

"Thus, almost 80% of the positions as Director of the Ministry of Finance, 75% of the positions as heads of departments in Ministries, as well as the Presidency of the Republic are in the hands of ENA graduates."During the last 30 years, no minister can have any influence if it does not furnish his cabinet with énarques and especially finance inspectors.

The tragedy is that these inspectors of finance have not learned at the ENA how to create wealth and reduce unemployment. Creating wealth requires to take calculated risks into consideration, but it's the opposite that it is taught at the ENA. A successful career in Public Service does not require a capacity of creation and inventiveness because, to produce visible effects, it would require to remain in the same position for a long time; on the contrary, it is imperative to avoid "waves" and one quickly learns that only those who do nothing will not deceive....

"In this depravity of power, ENA graduates find themselves having links with unions whose action range is so small that it only resides in defending the privileges accumulated by the civil servants in the public services."The ENA has populated the top of the State with intellectually brilliant individuals selected by a succession of competitive exams, which proved difficult, but who are unable to take courageous decisions, unable to reform and unable to create.

What they know is to control, regulate, distribute.

In the last 30 years they have increased not only the taxes and levies, but also regulations that fragment our society and multiply obstacles to any development.

The "énarchia" monopolizes and sterilizes information, stifles Parliament, whose initiatives are blocked by the implementing decrees or delays at their release; she rules lonely in her technocratic ivory tower, surrounded by a bloated administration.

In this depravity of power, ENA graduates find themselves having links with unions whose action range is so small that it only resides in defending the privileges accumulated by the civil servants in the public services.

"There will be no French renaissance as long as this caste retain the monopoly of power."This allows, in the name of a "social partnership" and of the protection of the French "social model", to stop all evolution, avoiding in particular to apply solutions in France that have proven abroad and whose main philosophy is to build on individual initiatives and not on the choices made by some brilliant individuals. Acting differently would reduce the role of the "welfare" state, where this caste finds a justification for its existence.

The French "social model" remains one of mass unemployment.

There will be no French renaissance as long as this caste retain the monopoly of power.

FIRST PART



THE INCOMPETENCE OF THE ENARQUES: MAIN CAUSE OF FRENCH FAILURE.

Preamble: The French failure, failure of the énarchia

"We note an undeniable correlation between good corporate management and non-énarque management..."The list of failures of large companies managed by énarques is overwhelming.

In the banking system in particular, where from 1989 to 1999, the added value of the financial sector institutions fell by 27% in constant French francs while increasing in most other countries (+ 39% in Britain, + 50% in the US) and in the rest of French market services (+ 17%).

This is the case of the disaster of the Crédit Lyonnais, Crédit Foncier and of the French Agency for Development; the hole dug by the Bank of France, 900 billion Franch francs of losses, changes in the years 1997-1998 but remained unattended in the media. The French bank system collapses compared to its foreign competitors and many jewels are bought by more efficient European competitors.

"There is no reason that "these young men" as Pierre Mendes-France used to called them, are better in the management of public enterprises or administration but the lack of competition mask their inability."In 2003, according to the ranking of the top 100 European banks conducted by the agency Ficht Rating, the first French bank in terms of profitability is only 22th.

In the sector of large non-financial companies, the disaster is exemplified by Michel Bon heading France Telecom, Jean-Marie Messier at Vivendi Universal, Pierre Bilger and Philippe Jaffré for Alstom, all of them énarques and finance inspectors.

Faced with these failures, the number of successes due to énarques is minimal: When citing Schweitzer for Renault, Spinetta at Air France, we have cited almost all international successes in businesses led by ENA graduates.

"The ENA graduates have indeed invaded all sectors not affected by competition..."We note an undeniable correlation between good corporate management and non-énarque management: in her book "The Untouchables" Ghislaine Ottenheimer quoting Antoine Bernheim and his lists of the greatest achievements and their qualifications: Bernard Arnault (Polytechnic), Vincent Bolloré (Law), Serge Kampf (Sciences-eco, flunked at ENA), Martin Bouygues (nothing). "There are not many inspectors of finance".

There is no reason that "these young men" as Pierre Mendes-France used to called them, are better in the management of public enterprises or administration but the lack of competition mask their inability.

Therefore, it is not surprising that every time or almost every time one considers a public institution or a public company not subject to the competition, it is ill-managed.

The ENA graduates have indeed invaded all sectors not affected by competition, where losses are not visible because the government financially fills the holes or gives them the ability to levy forced contributions, actually quasi-taxes:

- SNCF (Louis Gallois Guillaume Pepy) [Franch railways] - RATP (Anne-Marie Idrac, Jean-Marc Janaillac) [Parisian metro] - EDF (François Roussely) [electricity utilities] - Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations (Francis Mayer) [ French financial organization created in 1816, and part of the government institutions under the control of the Parliament to safeguard public funds] - Part of the public television and radio - Even in the healthcare sector where they have multiplied: Assistance Publique de Paris (puböic hospital) and the Regional Hospitalisation Agencies where they occupy more than half of leadership positions.

Why would they be better in these protected positions as they are in more exposed positions? And, generally, why would they best in governmental leadership positions?

Above all, as we shall see in the second part, there is no real control of the efficiency of public expenditure and the Ministry of Finance, where they occupy key position, crushes everything in its power.

The consequences are disasters as unemployment because they do not understand how to create jobs, waste of public money because they refuse that other than énarques go and stick their noses in their accounts, as the non-development of sponsorship because they fear that private sponsorship be a kind of competition and put in evidence the public inefficiency, especially in Culture, that has become an Enarques' stronghold.



That part which we found interesting speaks of "sectors not affected by competition" because that's just like EPO, which effectively enjoys a monopoly. Battistelli just needs to cook up some bogus numbers, e.g. by accelerating patent acceptance (hardly rejections). Earlier this month Battistelli used some truly misleading self-serving talking points and numbers, right after massive protests in Munich. This new comment makes a relevant point about Battistelli's [BB] dubious yardsticks. To quote:

When reading the pathetic report of the 146th AC meeting prepared by the President'office, I ask you to observe the subtle strategy underlying the report: In every point mentioned you'll find a negative or threatening remark with a specific aim. Here: A) In relation to the unitary patent: "landmark achievement" but "after decades of discussions and negotiations" (ie only BB, the greatest of all Presidents, could bring it to conclusion!); B) In relation to the exceptional results: "stakeholders were asked to reinforce their effort to improve the social dialogue" (ie message: trade union stop boycotting the enormous efforts by BB who'd love to recognise you!) C) In relation to the injection of €200 million into the PRF, "without any contribution from the staff" (ie yeah, just a generous cadeau! P.S. Mr BB please remember that the staff earned that money for the EPO with their hard work!) D) In relation to the rejection of the absurd new scheme for national tax adjustments, "with some delegations expressing their opposition against the principle of the reimbursement of national taxation" (implicit message: attention! the EPO might abolish it in the near future) E) In relation to the comprehensive social study, it "will be launched in 2016, in parallel with a financial study (implicit message: further reduction of alleged privileged and high salaries in sight!)

Do you see BB's strategy? That's how he fools the representatives in the AC and the press and remains on his post.

BB, please, get out of here. Go back home and leave the EPO in peace.


Tomorrow we are planning to release the final piece of this series. It's by far the most important piece.

Recent Techrights' Posts

IBM Has Taken Control of GNOME
Don't expect a successor to be found any time soon
IRC Proceedings: Saturday, August 30, 2025
IRC logs for Saturday, August 30, 2025
 
Links 31/08/2025: Baggage Claim Scams, an Insurrectionist’s War on Culture, and a Sudden Robotics Hype
Links for the day
Gemini Links 31/08/2025: Reviewing Netsurf and Slightly Less Historic Ada Design
Links for the day
Links 31/08/2025: Google Gmail Data Breach and LF Puff Pieces for Pay
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
This is What Google News Has Become
Moments ago
The Slopfarm WebProNews Has Turned Google News Into a Laughing Stock Full of Plagiarism by Slop
If Google News dies of neglect, that's one thing. It's starting to seem like active neglect by Google is a form of participation.
Do What is Moral, as What's Legal Isn't Always Moral
Do what's objectively moral, no matter the costs and the risks
Slopwatch: Google News Assisting Plagiarism and Anti-Linux FUD, Serial Slopper Rips Off Linux-Centric Journalists
This makes the Web a much worse place and lessens the incentive to do journalism
Links 30/08/2025: NVIDIA Fakes Results to Hide a Bubble Already in Implosion Phase, Data Breaches Galore, Important Win for Workers' Union in Canada
Links for the day
Representing and Speaking for Animals
If I ever choose to take this matter to tribunal with animals-centric NGOs on my side, it'll get some press coverage for sure
The UEFI 9/11 - Part II - Campaign of Censorship and Defamation Against Critics
In dictatorships, humour serves an important role. It's tragic.
In Kazakhstan, Yandex Estimated to be 20 Times Bigger Than Microsoft
Bing is measured as down this month
Shutterstock Not Enough? The Register MS Uses Slop Images in Articles (Seemingly More and More Over Time)
Cost-saving trajectory amid office shutdown?
Gemini Links 30/08/2025: Games, PostmarketOS, and Slop
Links for the day
Links 30/08/2025: Imgur Uproar and Many Ukraine Updates (Mediazona Reports Over 200,000 Russians Died for Putin)
Links for the day
How Not to Build Software
code forges that need a Web browser perhaps fill some 'niche' demand
GAFAM and "MATA"
The use of dark humour there hopefully helps illuminate what a lot of "modern" technology became like and how it interacts with human civilisation (to what ends and whose gain)
Birds Are Not "Pests and Vermin", Privacy is Not a Crime, and GNU/Linux is Not 'Hacking Platform'
I could not help but think of Free software analogies
The Sites Should Be Very Fast Again
That issue is now resolved
Flying in 2025
worse than ever before
Activists, Including Technical Activists, Need Not Pursue Affirmation
Techrights doesn't play or participate in a "popularity contest"
The UEFI 9/11 - Part III - Chaos is Scheduled to Happen Second Thursday of September (No Matter What the Microsofters Tell You)
The clock is ticking
Downplaying the Impact of "UEFI 9/11" is a Losing Strategy
we won't publish much whilst on holiday
Government Sites Should Run Free Software
Not proprietary bloatware with buzzwords
LLM Slopfarms Take No Breaks
When people run sites by bots they don't need to worry about "breaks"
GNOME Having a Meltdown Again
Thanks and farewell to Steven Deobald
Gemini Links 30/08/2025: Low Tech and Hunchbin 1.0.6
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Friday, August 29, 2025
IRC logs for Friday, August 29, 2025
Financiers and Sponsors of the Slop Hype (Pyramid Scheme Waiting to End, Bubble That Will Inevitably Implode)
It's also burning the planet
Slopwatch: Fake Articles About "Linux", Google Helps Ponzi Schemes and Slopfarms in Google News
Slopfarms are a real pain
Gemini Links 29/08/2025: Retiring at 62 and URL Filtering HTTP(S) Proxy on Qubes OS
Links for the day
Links 29/08/2025: Lisa Cook Sues Convicted Felon and Backdoor Mandate in UK Resisted
Links for the day
Links 29/08/2025: Arti 1.5.0, War on Public Health (CDC), and Slop 'Bros' Made to Pay for Their Mass Plagiarism
Links for the day
No, 4Chan is Not Fighting for You by Lawyering Up Against Ofcom (UK)
Don't mistake proto-fascists for people who "fight for you". They don't.
In Many Places in the World Vista 11 "Market Share" is Going Down, Not Up
In some countries Windows is already down to third place or lower
More Microsoft-Connected Layoffs, at Least Third Time This Month! (Also Another Death on Campus)
Microsoft as a "gaming" company is where studios, projects, games, and even developers come to die
Slopwatch: Fake Articles About "Linux", Slop Images in VentureBeat, Linux Foundation Spam Made With LLM Slop and Slop Images
The only relief or upside - if any exists - is that the pace of slop was down a bit this week
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Thursday, August 28, 2025
IRC logs for Thursday, August 28, 2025
Gemini Links 29/08/2025: Poems, Games, and Java 25 Performance
Links for the day