The parenthesis of the pension reform will certainly close for the executive, although many French people took to the streets on Monday evening during Emmanuel Macron’s speech. However, “France is not in fire and blood”, estimates the mayor of Meaux and former minister, Jean-François Copé, who was the guest of Europe 1 this Wednesday morning. “The reality is that the French are furious”, he conceives, but “we are obliged, as all European countries do, to extend the retirement age.”
“The agreement should have been made with Mr. Berger”
If he was delighted with the promulgation of the text of the law, the politician questions the extent that we give to the protest movement, borrowing from a “great mystification”. “We have the impression that it’s the riot, the French Revolution!”, He was surprised. Jean-François Copé also recalls his experience in the overhaul of the French social system and the difficulty it represents. “Yes, there were miscommunications. But on pensions, I’m on my fourth since 1993, it’s always the same cycle. It’s impossible to communicate on bad news.”
For the mayor of Meaux, the executive still finds a considerable share of responsibility vis-à-vis popular discontent. “I think that Madame Borne and Monsieur Macron should have received the unions and that not having received them for three months is not good.” Especially since “the agreement should have been made with Mr. Berger and not with the Republicans.”
Political life frozen for 100 days
And despite the discontent of the people, the reform would be a successful bet, against all odds. “The result of all this, as I had feared, is that the big winner for history is Emmanuel Macron”, regrets Jean-François Copé, explaining: “because he will be able to say in a few years, I am the only one against all, to have reformed our pension system.
Finally, if the President of the Republic lacks empathy and “emotional dimension”, just like his speech on Monday evening, the former minister praises his initiative to freeze French political life for 100 days. “The French from July 14, you shouldn’t bother them at all, and they’re right, it’s the holidays. From July 14, we extend until September 1,” he explains. “So he has 5 months of respite to start discussing other topics.” A “rather clever” decision, according to the guest of Europe morning, Jean-François Copé.