After Jean-Luc Mélenchon last week, the environmental candidate Yannick Jadot was the guest, Thursday February 17, of the program “Elysée 2022”. Interviewed by Laurent Guimier and Nathalie Saint-Cricq for more than two hours, the MEP answered questions from several journalists from France Télévisions. He also debated with Jordan Bardella, acting president of the National Rally. Purchasing power, immigration, energy or international… Franceinfo sums up the evening for you in seven sequences.
A tackle for Emmanuel Macron’s environmental record
Yannick Jadot began the show by castigating the record of Macron’s five-year term on environmental issues. “They did nothing about ecology. The end of cage farming, the end of glyphosate, the Marshall plan on renovation: Emmanuel Macron did not do it, I will”he listed, before recalling the condemnation of France for climate inaction.
No increase in the price of gasoline
In terms of purchasing power, Yannick Jadot was asked about the measures he would put in place regarding fuel prices. “We will reduce the transport bill”he promised. “The program that I support absolutely does not provide for an increase in the price of gasoline, nor to relaunch the carbon tax on fuels”.
A different position from three years ago, when he said he was in favor of an increase in carbon taxation. “Otherwise I wouldn’t be an environmentalist”he had even advanced. “Three years ago, gasoline prices were not like this”defended himself this Thursday evening the candidate.
Better supervise the hunt
The Europe Ecologie-Les Verts candidate wants to further regulate the practices of hunters. Asked about his desire to ban hunting on weekends and school holidays, Yannick Jadot confirmed his position. A proposal supported by 56% of the community of viewers who followed the show, who said they were “completely in favor” of this ban. He also confirmed that he wanted to increase the price of the hunting permit, today by 46 euros.
A tense debate against Jordan Bardella
Until then rather calm, the show became more electric during the passage on set of Jordan Bardella, interim president of the National Rally. In a face-to-face of about twenty minutes, the two men clashed on the favorite theme of the extreme right, immigration. To the immigration figures given by Bardella, Yannick Jadot defended a controlled migration policy and tried to oppose concrete examples of immigrants and their journeys. But the tumultuous discussion resulted in an often inaudible debate.
Investing in nuclear power, but eventually phasing it out
On the energy side, the environmentalist candidate rolled out his already known program: not to build a new reactor, and to gradually phase out nuclear power. But he brought a nuance. “I am going to hire engineers, technicians and nuclear workers because the way in which nuclear power plants are now managed on an interim basis is irresponsible. I want to restore competence in nuclear power plants”, he announced. But at the same time, Yannick Jadot said he feared a serious nuclear accident and said he wanted to close “the oldest or most dangerous reactors” and “deploy renewable energies”.
For young people, offer a “climate freedom pass” to get around
Asked by a 20-year-old young man concerned about the cost of train transport, particularly the price of the plane, the candidate sketched out the announcement of a “climate freedom” pass, which would allow young people aged 16 to 25 to be able to travel by metro, bus, train or bike with free access, for a favorable price. “You will have a fixed participation which will allow all young people to travel easily everywhere with the same card”said Yannick Jadot.
On the Ukrainian crisis, showing Europe’s unity and confronting Putin
After addressing the issue of Mali, of which he approves the withdrawal of French troops, Yannick Jadot was asked about the Ukrainian crisis. If he had been in office, the environmental candidate would have called a European summit in Kiev, “to show our solidarity and our unity”, he asserted. “It would have served to demonstrate to Vladimir Putin that Europe is perfectly united, exactly on the same wavelength, and that in the event of an invasion, the sanctions would be extremely harsh against the Russian oligarchs”he supported.
The guest was also asked about the relationship to maintain with authoritarian leaders like Vladimir Putin.“I remember that Vladimir Putin, he gassed the Syrian populations, he massacred the Chechens, that he invaded Crimea and that he poisons his political opponents. For me, that’s called a dictator. But that doesn’t mean not say that you should not talk to him”he assured.