After the meetings in Saint-Denis, the President of the Republic wrote to the leaders of the opposition and the majority. Their responses are unenthusiastic.
The epistolary exchange continues as best it can. After having met them in Saint-Denis (Seine-Saint-Denis) on August 30, Emmanuel Macron sent a letter to the leaders of the various French political parties. “I am submitting a project to you in order to collect your proposals for modifications or additions by Sunday evening if you agree”wrote the Head of State in this letter dated Thursday, September 7, with the desire to organize new discussions in the fall.
Several of its recipients responded in good time, while others refused to comply with the deadline or even the invitation to the exchange launched by the President of the Republic. Unsurprisingly, each leader takes up the main demands of his party, from the referendum on pensions for La France insoumise to the themes of insecurity and immigration for Les Républicains. Franceinfo takes stock of the unenthusiastic responses of political leaders to Emmanuel Macron’s letter.
Eric Ciotti asks for a “precise timetable”
For Eric Ciotti, “the major political initiative” wanted by Emmanuel Macron is “relatively disappointing” : the president of the Republicans sees it above all as a “yet another communication exercise”. Rather than a “report” meeting, the deputy for Alpes-Maritimes wants the head of state to inform him of “the suite he is going to book” to the proposals presented by his party during the meeting, in particular regarding a referendum on immigration.
In his response, Eric Ciotti hopes that Emmanuel Macron reveals a “accurate schedule” for further discussion. The boss of the Republicans takes the opportunity to reiterate the four points “essential” defended by his party: purchasing power, insecurity, immigration and “the liberation of the press and media from the influence of certain ideologues”. He concludes his missive with an ironic “awaiting your (re)action”.
Manuel Bompard criticizes a “circumvention of the democratic debate”
Like Eric Ciotti, Manuel Bompard describes Emmanuel Macron’s initiative as “communication campaign”. In his response to the President, published on the X platform (ex-Twitter), the political coordinator of La France insoumise reaffirms his opposition to “circumvention of the democratic debate” what would the head of state lead with these discussions.
“As opposed to the presidential monarchy, we consider that the political debates essential to deal with the crises which strike our country must take place in the Parliamentary Assemblies.”
Manuel Bompard, coordinator of La France insoumisein his letter to Emmanuel Macron
As for participating in future discussions, “we do not intend to accompany you in this dangerous and blind evolution of the country’s emergencies”says the deputy for Bouches-du-Rhône to the head of state.
Manuel Bompard also regrets that “the social emergency which is hitting the country just like the climate emergency which threatens the survival of humanity” were only discussed on August 30 “Breaked in after nearly ten hours of discussion”. He also calls for a referendum on pension reform. “We did not find ourselves around the idea that the main problem of the country was the lack of clarity and readability of public action”writes the rebellious elected official.
Marine Tondelier regrets the place of ecology
Like Manuel Bompard, the national secretary of Europe Ecologie-Les Verts points out in her letter “the tiny place given to ecology” with “two sentences on six pages”. “If there are meetings where we can talk about ecology, I’ll be there. If it’s to debate for hours on a referendum on immigration and attend the honeymoon between Macron and the extreme right, it will be without me”, warns Marine Tondelier in her letter, published on X. The leader of the ecologists also asks, like her allies of the Nupes, for a referendum on the pension reform. She also calls, unlike La France insoumise, for the establishment of proportional representation, particularly in legislative elections.
Fabien Roussel calls for “price cuts”
He was the one who first responded to Emmanuel Macron’s letter. In his mail, revealed by a franceinfo journalistFabien Roussel does not say if he will return to the discussion table, but the snational secretary of the French Communist Party criticizes the use of 49.3 in the National Assembly and calls for “unpublished answers”, including a questioning of European budgetary constraints. On the economic front, the member for the North is calling for a “fall in food, electricity, gas and gasoline prices”.
Stéphane Séjourné hails “a rare moment of unity”
It is logically the most laudatory voice of this political areopagus. In his response, sent on Saturday, the secretary general of the presidential party describes the Saint-Denis exchanges as “an unprecedented democratic breath, a rare moment of unity and political overcoming”. On the question of a referendum on immigration, which he considers “delicate”Stéphane Séjourné recommends doing so “precede a broader consultation of civil society” for’“integrate in all their acuity all the opinions expressed by our compatriots”.
Those who have not yet responded
Jordan Bardella refuses to answer. “He is waiting for concrete proposals”, justifies the entourage of the president of the National Rally to franceinfo, while the boss of the far-right party had proposed a referendum on immigration. On the other hand, Jordan Bardella will be there in the event of the next meeting, assured the vice-president of the party, Sébastien Chenu, on Sud Radio.
Olivier Faurehe takes his time. “The president does not have to set a deadline”estimates the first secretary of the Socialist Party to franceinfo. “We consult our authorities and we will respond afterwards”says the deputy of Seine-et-Marne.
Other recipients have not yet responded to this mail. This is the case ofHerve Marseillethe president of the UDI, of François Bayrouthe president of the Modem, orEdward Philipthe president of Horizons, another party of the majority, but also of Yaël Braun-Pivetthe President of the National Assembly, and Gérard Larcherthe President of the Senate.