INTERVIEW. After the rejection of the motions of censure, the Head of State will answer questions from journalists on TF1 and France 2 on Wednesday at 1 p.m.
Interview by Théo Sauvignet
© LUDOVIC MARIN / AFP
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DDiscreet on the subject since the start of the examination and then the adoption of the pension reform by Parliament, Emmanuel Macron will speak on Wednesday at 1 p.m. on television. In the midst of a political crisis while public opinion is showing its discontent throughout France, the government of Élisabeth Borne avoided censorship by nine votes Monday, March 20, in the National Assembly, after having made use of article 49- 3 of the Constitution. Specialist in political communication, Philippe Moreau-Chevrolet deciphers for Point the stakes of such a presidential speech.
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Point : What should we expect during this speech by Emmanuel Macron?
Philippe Moreau-Chevrolet: This choice to speak during the 1 p.m. news is surprising: we have the impression that this speech is taken as a formality, that the Elysée does not want to make it a very solemn moment and does not grasp the gravity of the moment . As in all the communication that preceded on this reform, which did not seem to rise to the challenge and the political difficulties, we have the feeling that the current crisis is taken lightly, that it does not deserve the an 8 p.m. hearing. Beyond defending the reform, I think that, during his speech on Wednesday, we can expect the president to announce the rest of the reforms. He will probably announce that he will continue as he has decided, in particular with the immigration law, without questioning his way of leading. Emmanuel Macron has always defended the members of his government: despite the business, he has never asked one of his ministers to resign. It will probably be the same with Elisabeth Borne.READ ALSO Pension reform: after a final 49.3, the five-year term on hold
Does Emmanuel Macron speak too late on the subject?
The challenge is already launched and it is gone for several weeks. The damage is done, no matter what. Even if he speaks after the fact, it is up to the president to specify the ways out of the crisis, he must make strong announcements to show that there is a reaction to the major political crisis. He has several options left: suspend the reform, as Jacques Chirac had done, while waiting for tensions to calm down or dissolve the Assembly. But I have little hope, I think we will all be disappointed. It is not in the mentality of the president to have an agenda dictated to him. The mandate is over anyway, Emmanuel Macron will not find a majority in the Assembly: there are 19 Republican deputies who voted censorship and MoDem deputies are calling for the resignation of Elisabeth Borne. However, on the side of the Élysée, it is as if, now that the two motions of censure have been rejected, the crisis is over and it is necessary to move on to something else.
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What is the scale of the crisis facing the president?
The problem is not pension reform, but it is a question of democracy, of how to exercise power. It is the whole system, this almost monarchical regime, which is called into question. And that’s what you have to answer tomorrow during the interview. Emmanuel Macron imposed his reform on everyone, when the timing was bad and his own experts said it was not necessary. He sent the Prime Minister into battle and let the crisis grow and fester. We hardly heard him on the issue, even though it was his choice from the start. We must also see that we were already in a context of crisis: between the Yellow Vests and the Covid, for three years, there has been a prior climate of social tensions. If, on Wednesday, the president does not show understanding and a sense of compromise, the risk of further worsening the situation is real.