Expected for several days, Emmanuel Macron finally spoke this Monday at 1 p.m. on TF1 and France 2 in a television format that was unusual to say the least. Explanations.
Not a minute more: it was for 31 minutes that Emmanuel Macron spoke during an interview on TF1 and France 2 from New Caledonia. Presented, by some, as the interview that was no longer expected, since the Head of State had given up speaking on July 14, it is therefore from the Pacific, where he has just started a one-week tour, that Emmanuel Macron has swept various subjects.
>> Parental authority, back to school, taxes … What to remember from the interview with Emmanuel Macron in the 1 p.m. newspaper
Basically, it is therefore a fairly long interview, but with almost no announcement. The President gave a positive assessment of the “100 days of relief“, since the crisis linked to the pension reform and has set the main priorities for the weeks and months to come, with this injunction: “Order, order, order“, in response to the urban riots, ensuring that there was no “no spare majorityto better defend his government’s contested record.
Technical performance
In form, this interview may have surprised the French, as well as the commentators. First there is the “timing”: a question-and-answer session at 1 p.m., in the middle of the summer holidays, and ten days after a July 14 without speaking.
And then, it was done in very special technical conditions, even never seen for a Head of State in France. In question, in particular, the genesis of this meeting: this interview, conducted by Nathanaël de Rincquesen for France 2 and Jacques Legros for TF1, was, in fact, decided at the last minute, during the weekend, and hastily mounted some 16,000 km from the Élysée. Finally, there is the time difference: at 1 p.m. in Metropolitan France, it is 10 p.m. in Noumea. And no question for the President of the Republic to pose in a postcard setting.
So many constraints that prompted the Palace to take the decision to record the interview upon the arrival of Emmanuel Macron at La Tontouta airport in Noumea. So we head to the studios of the Nouvelle-Calédonie la Première channel, but without the presence of the two interviewers: the two presenters of the 1 p.m. news are each on their sets, because they must then ensure the presentation of the newspaper, as usual. Here is also why, there were no other camera shots than close shots of the faces of the three men, they were not together for this “triplex”, a real technical performance.
However, short silences of one to two seconds may have occurred. Emmanuel Macron was able to freely develop his remarks: difficult for journalists to contradict him or revive him, since there were several seconds of difference between the journalists on set from Paris and the president in Nouméa.
Face-to-face ministers on the plane
Finally, on the backstage side, although it was recorded “under live conditions”, according to the established formula, and above all to avoid any technical problem, the Head of State wanted to send a clear and political message. And for that, he took the time to work this appointment, and that’s the least we can say. To go over these files, Emmanuel Macron took advantage of the 24 hours spent on the plane between mainland France and the archipelago.
Moreover, one of the passengers of the presidential flight to entrust him: Emmanuel Macron took the time to see, to consult, to question the ministers who accompany him. He was thus able to bring together Gérald Darmanin, Minister of the Interior and Overseas Territories, Philippe Vigier, who last Friday took up the duties of Minister Delegate in charge of Overseas Territories, Sébastien Lecornu, Minister of the Armed Forces, Catherine Colonna, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs… But only face-to-face in the presidential plane. This is to say if this interview was important for the Élysée.