GRANDSTAND. For the author of “The Art of accommodating old age”, the President of the Republic addresses the French as immature children.
By Geneviève Delaisi de Parseval*
© Ludovic Marin/AFP
Published on
Subscriber-only audio playback
Ihe President of the Republic is young, but he governs like an “old man”. His intervention on the 1 p.m. television news (TF1 and France 2), Wednesday, March 22, illustrates this perfectly. It was as if he was telling rambunctious teenagers to calm down. “If you think it amuses me to make this reform…” he said like an exasperated father, lecturing his troublesome flock, and telling them that while they’re making a mess, he must manage the family budget.
No parent can ignore, brush aside, what is at stake behind the revolt of his “children”. Nor would he use the condescending tone that was the president’s last Wednesday. Emmanuel Macron may lack parental experience. He may not know that there is a turning point when raising children. It’s a great classic: there comes a day when it’s no longer children, but many adults that we have in front of us! The dialogue then takes place between “grown-ups”, as equals, despite relations of dependence if they still exist. It is the guarantor of the maintenance of a peaceful relationship. It is no longer necessary to “kill the father”, as was often the case in the past, psychoanalysts know a lot in this area…
De Gaulle, old-young
The reference to Charles de Gaulle is essential here. In May 1968, first the workers, then the young people, led by Daniel Cohn-Bendit, challenged the general. An “old man” who governed firmly and “vertically”, but not brutally. Neither blind nor deaf, he acted as a democrat, not without courage and panache. Remember that from the famous March 22, 1968, then in April and May, de Gaulle, at first, did not understand what was at stake in these demonstrations. Then he dissolved the National Assembly to allow the demonstrators (and the French) to express themselves at the ballot box.
READ ALSODe Gaulle, a leader conscious of being
This democratic reaction was beneficial to him. The Gaullists obtained a large majority at the Palais-Bourbon. France can go on vacation after more than two months of demonstrations! Later in 1969, Charles de Gaulle, again, knew how to listen: he resorted to the referendum and, faced with the result, left with dignity. De Gaulle was old, but young at heart, an “old-young”… And Emmanuel Macron?
By *Genevieve Delaisi de Parsevalpsychoanalyst, author of “The Art of accommodating old age” (Editions Odile Jacob, 2022).