He was expected. From soaring prices to pension reform and the hospital crisis, Emmanuel Macron answered questions from journalist Caroline Roux for more than an hour during France 2’s new political program, “L’Evénement”, Wednesday 26 October. We summarize his main statements for you.
>> Soaring prices, energy crisis, climate challenge… Relive the interview with Emmanuel Macron, guest of the political program “L’Evénement” on France 2
Inflation “is spreading”
About inflation, which increased by 5.6% over one year in September in France, the Head of State explains that it “is spreading, but we have mastered it better than many of our neighbors.” For Emmanuel Macron, “today we are going through an inflation which is the consequence of our dependence”.
Asked about wages, the President of the Republic brushed aside the hypothesis of a re-indexation on inflation. “If we want to create jobs so that working French people can live with dignity, the solution is not to reindex wages to inflation.he assured. “Wage increases are not decided by the state”, he added. The Head of State claims to prefer the use of bonuses but judges “legit” the debate on wage increases.
Small businesses will receive “the same help as households”
Faced with inflation and the energy crisis, the Head of State announced the establishment and continuation of several forms of aid. “Where there should have been a 100% increase, on electricity and gas, it will be 15%, he pointed out. It’s hard, but we have to hold on. The Youryou will do its part and will continue to do so in 2023.”
The Head of State also announced that certain companies will benefit from the same aid as households. “We will help [les entreprises]. VSEs will have the same help as households: an increase of only 15% in electricity and gas. For SMEs, such as bakers, we will put in place a mechanism to cushion the increases.”
Emmanuel Macron also announced targeted aid for “big wheels”, who “will make it possible to support those who [en] need, especially for work.”
He denounces “the cynicism” and “the disorder” of the opposition on the motion of censure
“The government was right to pass this budget, including in the face of all the opposition, which was sometimes in demagoguery. It avoided several billions in useless expenditure at a loss”, declared the President of the Republic about the 2023 finance bill adopted at first reading thanks to 49.3, without a vote in the National Assembly.
While Elisabeth Borne also engaged the responsibility of her government before the National Assembly on part of the Social Security financing bill (PLFSS), Emmanuel Macron castigated “cynicism” and “the disorder” oppositions, accusing the left of having put “hand in hand with the National Rally” by means of a motion of censure “which, by design, has been changed by this baroque coalition of the Nupes”.
Emmanuel Macron also wished “an alliance” with the LR deputies and those of the centrist group Liot (Freedoms, independents, overseas and territories) for the adoption of texts in the Assembly. The Head of State believes that these parliamentarians have “sent a clear message” by not voting the motions of censure tabled on the budget or the financing of Social Security.
He said he was “open” to raising the legal retirement age to 64
The Head of State said “open” a postponement of the legal retirement age to 64, and not 65, as he had promised during the presidential campaign, in the event of an extension of the contribution period.
“If some [partenaires sociaux] are ready to commit and say: ‘We don’t want to go until 65 but, in return, if you make this gesture, we are ready to work a few more quarters – because there there are other ways to do it, it’s not just the legal age, it’s working a few more terms – I’m open”he said.
“From the summer of 2023, we will have to shift the legal age of departure by four months per year. We will go by 2031 to 65 years (…) If we want to succeed, we have no other choice but to work harder, has also specified Emmanuel Macron. While he had promised, during his first presidential campaign, not to raise the legal retirement age, the Head of State went back on his remarks: “I do not mind that we bring out the statements of March 2017 but it was not the same world. I could defend a reform [des retraites] systemic.”
The Head of State wants to “reconcile the climate, industry and energy sovereignty”
“We must reconcile the climate, industry and energy sovereignty. We must reserve aid for European producers”, explained Emmanuel Macron on the climate component, when he was asked about electric cars and battery production. He again confirmed that France “will produce two million electric batteries” at the end of its five-year term in 2027.
“We don’t have oil, but we have lithium”, recalled the Head of State, while the first lithium mine will be operated in France, in the Allier, by 2027. It should produce enough batteries to equip 700,000 electric cars per year by 2028.
The President of the Republic also wishes “reduce emissions” polluting vehicles to protect the “health” the French. “We must reserve aid for vehicles made in Europe, such as [le font] Americans”, he further specified.
Retired doctors will be able to continue working
“We have 25% of our general practitioners who are over 60 years old. All the doctors who are about to retire, we will allow them to retire, but on the first day of their retirement, they will be able to continue to exercise their activity in receiving all of their income without pension contributions”, announced the Head of State.
Emmanuel Macron made this observation because “we don’t have enough doctors” in France. “I also want us to reform the organization of our hospitals. That caregivers regain power at the service level.”
He wants to “in-depth reform” the laws on the OQTF
“We must reform our laws in depth to be able to better welcome those we want to welcome and to be able to accompany them back to their country more quickly. the others, explained Emmanuel Macron about the obligations to leave French territory (OQTF), back in the news since the murder of Lola. “We are going to toughen things up with the countries of origin to move towards a rate [de reconduite à la frontière] 100% for those who are the most dangerous”, he announced.
“I will never make an existential link between immigration and insecurity”, assured the Head of State. “Today, when we look at delinquency, for example in Paris, where we have a high concentration (…) of this illegal immigration, yes, it is very present in the facts of delinquency”, then nuanced the President of the Republic.