July 14: an interview with Emmanuel Macron between mea culpa and mandatory masks, economic recovery plan, taxes, what to remember

For almost an hour and a half, President Emmanuel Macron answered questions from Léa Salamé and Gilles Bouleau on Tuesday after a July 14 ceremony dedicated to caregivers, on the front line in the fight against coronavirus.

For several minutes at the start of the interview, a president showing humility appeared on French television. Pleading « clumsiness », Emmanuel Macron thus returned to his attitude at the start of his five-year term: « I let appear something that people ended up hating » admitted the « master of clocks », however pleading the game Politics. The head of state also acknowledged that he had failed to explain his plan, giving the French « the feeling of wanting to reform despite themselves ».
Does Emmanuel Macron understand the criticisms, sometimes very virulent, towards him? « Yes, I can understand because we are in a country that has that in its History, in its guts. I probably let appear something that I do not believe to be deeply, but that people started to hate (…) The game, the blunders, the sentences out of context, the opposition of political life means that it could be fueled, « said the president.

He added: « Hatred is not acceptable in a democracy. We can criticize (…) but because there is freedom of expression, hatred in speeches and violence in demonstrations cannot be accepted.  »

« I did not succeed. Does that mean that I will stop fighting and stop carrying projects? No, » he said.

« We have experienced an unprecedented social crisis with the ‘yellow vests’ (…) I gave the feeling to our fellow citizens that, deep down, I was reforming for them or in spite of them and that was not fair. , this is why I got involved in politics (…) it is to make France stronger and more independent. I also do it so that everyone regains control of his life and his destiny (…) and I may not have said it enough « , adds Emmanuel Macron.

« Our country is basically afraid » and « there is a crisis of confidence » declared the head of state in the preamble before explaining that there was no question of « changing course ». The method used during the first three years of the quinquennium, made it possible to carry out « reforms that we thought impossible » insisted the president, France « was winning the battle against mass unemployment and lowering the tax « , before the crisis he assured. The objective is still « to have a strong, independent France » continued the head of state before claiming a change « of way to get there », ensuring wanting « to associate more, go more through social dialogue and association with the elect.  »

Emmanuel Macron spoke about youth, a subject on which he was expected. « Our youth should be the priority of this revival », he started, when 700,000 young people should arrive on the job market at the start of the school year.
To avoid a spike in unemployment among young people in France due to the economic crisis caused by the new coronavirus, the President of the Republic promised an exceptional exemption from charges to companies to promote the hiring of young people with « low qualifications, up to ‘at 1.6 Smic « . This device will be « exceptional » according to the Head of State « because it will last one to two years », he details, « we will assess it ».
The Head of State also promised the creation of 300,000 integration projects and contracts for young people far from the job and the opening of 200,000 places in higher qualification training to allow the provisional continuation of studies.
The head of state has also set a target of 100,000 civic service contracts signed in the next six months, which will add to the current 140,000.

Emmanuel Macron is now questioned on the Darmanin affair. « I always respect the excitement and anger of just causes. I share the feminist cause. I have made it the common thread of this quinquennium (…) You have a politician who has been the subject of « a serious accusation (…) there is the presumption of innocence. There are several investigations: closed or lack of continuation. No cause is defended precisely by flouting the fundamental principles of our democracy. If from moment, someone who is accused, but not judged, becomes the victim of a judgment of street or social networks « , we will lose our freedoms, explains Emmanuel Macron who does not want a » democracy of opinion « .

After announcing that he wanted to draw a « new path » for the end of his five-year term, Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed his desire to resume the pension reform project. « We will not save a reform of our pension system, » he said.

The mask « compulsory in all closed public places »: « The best prevention are barrier gestures: masks, keeping at a distance, and hydroalcoholic gel » added the president before declaring for « the wearing of the compulsory mask in all enclosed public places « from August 1.
« We do it in transport, it works very well, but it is a bit erratic in closed public places (…) it means that things have to get organized », he said. argues before recommending « to all our fellow citizens to wear the mask as much as possible when they are outside and, a fortiori, when they are in an enclosed place ».

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Gabriel MIHAI

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