The President of the Republic answered questions from Laurent Delahousse and Anne-Claire Coudray on Sunday evening.
Visits from Charles III and Pope Francis, but also inflation, ecology and immigration… Emmanuel Macron spoke on Sunday September 24 in the news of France 2 and TF1, after a busy week on the diplomatic level. The President of the Republic, who said “concentrated on the task” It front of “immense upheavals” met by France, made some announcements mainly focused on purchasing power. Here is what to remember from the interview with the President of the Republic.
Fuels: the government will ask distributors to sell “at cost price”
Three days before the presentation of the budget for 2024 in the Council of Ministers, the Head of State was expected to turn the corner on the question of inflation and purchasing power, very sensitive at the start of the school year. Regarding the price of fuel, which weighs on the purchasing power of French households, Emmanuel Macron has decided to give up selling at a loss, swept aside by distributors in recent days. Elisabeth Borne will bring together the groups concerned “this week”. On this occasion, theThe government will ask them to sell gasoline “at cost”announced Emmanuel Macron.
The Head of State also mentioned new aid for low-income workers, in an amount of up to 100 euros, in order to “to support the French who are on the road”. This mechanism will address “to the lowest 50% of workers”he detailed.
Inflation: the president wants “an agreement on the moderation of margins” for manufacturers
A law project “to reopen commercial negotiations with major industrialists” will be presented to the Council of Ministers this Wednesday. Furthermore, the president declared that he wanted “an agreement on the moderation of margins” industrial groups.
The head of state decided to “to focus” on job creation to reduce job insecurity. The particular issue of wages will be addressed at the social conference, which is due to take place at the beginning of October. “We are going to work with all the sectors which still have a salary below the legal minimum wage. I am not in favor of indexing all salaries to the price, otherwise we will create an inflationary loop”he warned.
Ecology: Emmanuel Macron confirms 40 billion euros for ecological planning in 2024
On the eve of the long-awaited presentation of ecological planning, Emmanuel Macron defended the executive’s choices in this area. “It’s the fruit of a huge amount of work that has been done”welcomed Emmanuel Macron with an investment of “40 billion euros” announced for 2024. In detail, France will convert its last two coal-fired power plants still in operation to biomass by 2027. On this question of energy, the Head of State finally evacuated the banning gas boilers, preferring to triple the production of heat pumps.
“By the end of the five-year term”in 2027, France will produce “a million electric vehicles”, he promised. Moreover, “we will finalize the leasing by the end of the year”he added, in reference to the possibility of renting an electric vehicle at a lower cost, over a long period of time.
Immigration: “We cannot accommodate all the misery in the world”
The President of the Republic also addressed the hot topic, which has become major again with a massive influx of migrants at the gates of Europe, particularly in Lampedusa, Italy. “The Pope is right to call for this surge against indifference”greeted the head of state. Europe is the continent that does the most. We French people are doing our part. We cannot accommodate all the misery in the world.”, he said, adopting part of Michel Rocard’s famous phrase. The former socialist Prime Minister once explained that she had to “take your part”.
In his response to the current crisis, Emmanuel Macron castigated the “Italy’s simplistic and nationalist response”while calling for better “cooperation” with the countries of departure of migrants. “I want to propose putting more resources into these transit countries” from the southern shore of the Mediterranean, such as Libya or Tunisia.
At the national level, what about the immigration bill desired by the executive and debated in Parliament at the beginning of the year? It returns to the Senate on November 6, before an examination in the National Assembly at the beginning of 2024. But uncertainty remains on the “professions in tension” aspect for the regularization of people in an irregular situation in certain sectors. Emmanuel Macron refused to address this aspect. “I am not going to do the work of Parliament and the government here. (…) I hope that a compromise will be found”insisted the Head of State, while the government is still seeking a majority on this divisive text, with an uncertain future.
Niger: the French ambassador will leave the country, France ceases its military cooperation
Two months after the coup d’état in Niger, France will cease its military cooperation with the country’s authorities and recall its ambassador, Emmanuel Macron announced during this interview. “The soldiers will return by the end of the year. We will continue to support African states against terrorism”, he continued. Moreover, “France has decided to bring back its ambassador and severals diplomats. They will return to France in the next few hours.”he clarified.
Armenia: Emmanuel Macron worried about the country’s “territorial integrity”
After the fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh, Emmanuel Macron expressed concern about a possible military offensive by Azerbaijan against Armenia, stressing that Baku “threat” the common border and “territorial integrity” from this country. “France is very vigilant about the territorial integrity of Armenia because that is what is at stake”assured.
“Today we have a Russia which is complicit with Azerbaijan, a Turkey which has always supported these maneuvers and a power which is uninhibited and which threatens the border of Armenia”he added, after Baku’s lightning victory against the separatists of Nagorno-Karabakh, populated mainly by Armenians.