No member state would relish taking over the presidency of the European Union at this fraught point in its history. The Irish No has shaken the Union to its foundations, posing the question as to what now to do with the Lisbon treaty.

Under such circumstances, a French presidency might appear to be a godsend. After all, President Nicolas Sarkozy has worked tirelessly, via numerous dramatic diplomatic initiatives, to underline his bullish declaration that “France is back in Europe”. Hyperactivity, however, is not enough. At this most sensitive of times, there are good grounds to wonder whether a French presidency really is what the Union needs.