If the sanctioned individuals can still use French that would make the "debanking" sanction much less effective.

Would it? The source article doesn't say that he's unable to find a French bank account. The practical "debanking" problems it describes - some non-American banks won't do business with a person under American sanctions, all payment card systems popular in Europe are American - aren't subject to the French government's enforcement or lack thereof.

>all payment card systems popular in Europe are American - aren't subject to the French government's enforcement or lack thereof.

I disagree. Tomorrow France can tell Visa/MC/Banks they must service ICC judges or lose the ability to bank in their country and suddenly said providers will be concerned about the predicament they are in.

The EU better pull its head out of its ass about following everything the US does at this point. It's obvious over here in the states things have gone off the rails, and they'll go down with us if they want to remain so tightly coupled.

> Tomorrow France can tell Visa/MC/Banks they must service ICC judges or lose the ability to bank in their country and suddenly said providers will be concerned about the predicament they are in.

Absolutely. You get the Visa executives lobbying the American government to stop this madness and it will stop.

I'm not sure how you can look at the current political situation in the US and conclude that business executives get veto power over government decisions. Trump just this month summoned the CEOs of every major pharma company in the US for a ritual humiliation, and commanded them to give him steep discounts for a new self-branded website he's setting up.

Visa > pharma. When big finance yanks his leash, he'll come to heel.

I'm even quite sure that it is illegal in France to discriminate against a customer without a valid legal reason here.