The pension reform barely enacted, the executive has shelled a series of “gestures”, sometimes already known. These measures, summarized on Wednesday by Elisabeth Borne, must mark the “100 days of appeasement” promised by Emmanuel Macron.
“Appease” And “to act”. President Emmanuel Macron gave himself, in mid-April, “100 days” to reconcile with the French, after the promulgation of its contested pension reform. Since then, the executive has multiplied the announcements: concessions on small speeding tickets, extension of the tariff shield on electricity, turn of the screw on immigration…
>> Follow all the political news and reactions to the presentation of Elisabeth Borne’s roadmap in our live
“The strategy is the same as during the ‘yellow vests’: a sprinkling of the budget which consists of repackaging already existing aid to make announcement effects”, analyzes Philippe Moreau-Chevrolet, professor of political communication at Sciences-Po and president of MCBG Conseil. This battle plan, which aims to seduce different categories of the electorate, also allows the Head of State to occupy the media space previously filled by opponents of the pension reform, notes political scientist Virginie Martin, professor -researcher at Kedge Business School: “Emmanuel Macron has promised to continue despite the challenge. And that’s what he does: by announcing one measure per day, he creates permanent communication, and therefore noise to step over the sequence.” Here is a non-exhaustive overview of the latest speeches.
The end of point deductions for “minor speeding”
The measure. Small speeding, less than 5 km / h, will no longer be penalized by a withdrawal of points on the license from January 1, 2024, announced the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, on April 19. But “it will not be a question of decriminalizing these offences, which will remain punishable by a fine”he recalled.
Decryption. From May 2022, thehe Ministry of the Interior had announced that it was considering stop deducting points “if you are 5 km/h above” authorized speed. It was then a “reflection”, without an experimental schedule. The vice-president of the League against road violence, Pierre Lagache, denounced to AFP “a political decision which aims to heal the image of the government and whose human price will be expensive”.
Better follow-up for patients with chronic disease
The measure. During his speech on April 17, Emmanuel Macron wished of the “concrete short-term results” health matter. In particular, he undertook to ensure that the 600,000 patients with chronic illnesses who are not being followed by a general practitioner can be by the end of the year.
Decryption. This announcement is not new. The Minister of Health, François Braun, had already committed, in January, that Medicare would contact these patients “by June”. On the occasion of his wishes to health actorsAlso in January, the Head of State had already announced the recruitment of 6,000 new medical assistants, a measure mentioned again on Wednesday by Elisabeth Borne. Why repeat these announcements? “The government relies on the financial pump for protesting categories, such as teachers and health personnelnotes Philippe Moreau-Chevrolet. The objective is to defuse crises” so as not to feed the already existing anger on the pension file.
Measures on working conditions and remuneration
The measure. During his speech on April 17, Emmanuel Macron has announced that he wants “building a new work life pact” who will be “built in the weeks and months to come through social dialogue” between trade unions and employers’ organisations. These discussions should focus on the provisions of the pension reform invalidated by the Constitutional Councilbut also on other aspects, ranging from universal CET to unemployment insurance. A specific text on the sharing of business value will also be presented within three months.
Decryption. Reflection on topics related to the world of work was already underway before the pension reform, the executive having notably reformed unemployment insurance at the end of 2022. The Minister of Labor, Olivier Dussopt, moreover received the conclusions at the end of April. foundations of work to feed the government’s reflection on these subjects. And the executive has already invited several times in recent months, the professional branches to reassess their salary scales. The Constitutional Council’s censorship of certain pension reform measures, and the need to renew dialogue with the unions, have nevertheless changed the content and timetable of this reflection.
A reform of the active solidarity income (RSA)
The measure. The outlines of France Travail, which is to succeed Pôle emploi, were presented on Wednesday April 19 by the High Commissioner for Employment, Thibaut Guilluy. In return for a simplified path for RSA recipients, they will have to devote 15 to 20 hours per week to their integration, in the form of an activity. It could be “company immersions, refresher courses, training”, explained Thibaut Guilluy. In the event of non-compliance with these commitments, it proposes in particular to suspend the allowance, then to pay it without loss if the course is resumed.
The device began to be tested in 18 departments, for one year. These measures will be integrated into the “full employment” bill which will be presented to the Council of Ministers in June, assured Elisabeth Borne, Wednesday.
The decryption. The main lines of this report had already been known for several months and correspond to a campaign promise by Emmanuel Macron. “The RSA comes from the RMI. We have forgotten it, but it is the ‘i’ of integration. There is the idea that you had to work to fit in (…). We cannot say: ‘We pay the RSA, but we do not support it'”had notably explained, in March 2022 on M6, the president-candidate. “To transform a beneficiary into labor without rights is a social regression”, for his part reacted on franceinfo Martin Hirsch, initiator of this mechanism.
Salary increases for teachers
The measure. Emmanuel Macron announced, Thursday, April 20, pay increases for teachers on September 1. They will now receive a sum “above 2,000 euros”regardless of their age, thanks to an envelope of “three billion euros”, he promised. This increase will be “without any conditions, between 100 and 230 euros per month” net.
Another part of the increases announced, just over a billion euros in a full year, will be linked to new missions and based on volunteering. This may involve short-term replacements for absent teachers, participation in the “homework done” scheme or even participation in educational projects. In total, the addition of these two types of increases “will allow teachers to receive up to 500 euros per month in addition”assured Emmanuel Macron.
The decryption. The announced increase in salaries is not a surprise. Negotiations on the “pact” offered to teachers had already taken place, in the fall of 2022 and then at the start of the year. They had stopped in March, when the unions left the negotiations, denouncing “an increase in the workload of staff”. These increases also correspond, again, to a campaign promise from Emmanuel Macron. The unions nevertheless believe that the account is not there.
An extension for the tariff shield on electricity
The measure. The government has decided to extend until the beginning of 2025 the tariff shield put in place in October 2021 to limit increases in private bills, when it was only planned until the end of 2023. In question: tariffs that remain “very high” compared to the pre-crisis situation, explained Friday, April 21 the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire, on LCI. On the other hand, this extension, the cost of which has not been announced, concerns neither professionals nor the shield on gas prices.
The decryption. This is one of the real announcements of recent days, even if it is not the first time that the executive has extended this device. “The Constitutional Council has removed the ‘soft’ side of the pension reform”, notes the political scientist Viriginie Martin, the measures on the arduousness and the employment of seniors having been censored. With this type of measure, which affects a large number of French people, “the government is trying to put ‘sweet’ back into everyone’s life”. Even if it means weakening her argument on the need for reform, according to her. “The government has explained for months that it is absolutely necessary to save money to finance our pension system. And, immediately after the promulgation of the law, the ministers are sent to spend this money.”
Measures to regulate immigration
The measure. Ihe immigration bill wanted by Emmanuel Macron will ultimately not be presented immediately, Elisabeth Borne announced on Wednesday April 26, postponing a hypothetical text with vague outlines until the fall. “Today, there is no majority to vote for such a text“, justified the Prime Minister. On the other hand, she announced to mobilize, “from next week, 150 additional police and gendarmes in the Alpes-Maritimes” at the Italian border. Matignon also wants to experiment by the summer with the use of a “frontier force” in the same area.
The decryption. Sea serpent of the Macron five-year term, the immigration bill, supposed to give guarantees to the right, comes up against the strategy of the LRs to distance themselves from the executive. Nevertheless, the postponement of this text does not prevent “the government to speak clearly to right-wing voters in recent days”, notes Philippe Moreau-Chevrolet. In addition to Elisabeth Borne’s announcement on the new “force at the borders”, the latter points to the declarations of the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire on the tax evasion of which French people of North African origin are allegedly guilty.