On December 31, 2020, Emmanuel Macron had “a thought for the 64,000 victims” of Covid-19; a year later, his thoughts went to the “123,000 compatriots who lost their lives” due to the epidemic, almost double that. Unsurprisingly, the presidential wishes for 2022 were swallowed up on Friday evening by the Covid pandemic.
The president warned that “the coming weeks will be difficult” but that there were “real reasons for hope” thanks to the vaccine and that “2022 could be the year of exit from the epidemic”. Thanks to the vaccine, “we will be able to overcome this wave,” he added, promising to “do everything to preserve the activity of the country” and “avoid taking restrictions that weigh on our freedom”.
A year ago, Emmanuel Macron took a step forward by hypothesizing that “at least until spring the epidemic will still weigh heavily on the life of our country”.
Non-vaccinated, “all of France is counting on you”
Standing, with the Elysee garden in the background and the window open, he once again called for vaccination against this “so contagious” Omicron variant. “I appeal to the 5 million unvaccinated people: make this simple gesture for yourself, for your compatriots, for our country. The whole of France is counting on you ”. “Despite the hardships, France is stronger today than two years ago,” insisted Emmanuel Macron, recalling several of the reforms he initiated and which make him “optimistic” for 2022.
“Never for 15 years has unemployment been so low”
With the pandemic, “where we could have postponed everything, we have never given up our collective ambition,” added the Head of State. “In recent weeks and months alone, decisions that have been talked about for decades have been and will be taken that will change lives,” he added.
He cited among others the “training of our youth”, the “reform of unemployment insurance”, the measures of “purchasing power”, “the increase in the salaries of the most modest civil servants,” thermal renovation ” or the “minimum pension of 1,000 euros”.
“I am resolutely optimistic, not just for 2022 but for the years to come”, “we can see the outcome of this endless day” of the pandemic, he stressed.
“No one will know how to uproot my heart”
The head of state also defended Europe as France took over the rotating presidency of the European Union on Saturday.
“You can count on my total commitment to make this moment a time of progress for you” because “the values that the European Union carries are, I am convinced, those which make it possible to meet our contemporary challenges”.
“I will act until the last day of the mandate for which you elected me”, he finally declared of the April presidential election for which he has not yet said if he was candidate.
In this regard, he did not reveal anything on Friday, saying simply that “for my part, whatever my place and the circumstances, I will continue to serve you” and “no one will be able to uproot my heart”. “Let us remain united, benevolent, united, let us stay on the side of life, this is what we owe to ourselves. So 2022 will be the year of all possibilities “,” long live our Europe, long live the Republic and long live France “, he concluded.
8:30 p.m .: Relive the wishes of Emmanuel Macron
8:25 p.m .: Emmanuel Macron defended his record
During his vows, Emmanuel Macron also defended his record. “France, despite the hardships, is stronger today than two years ago,” he said, recalling several of the reforms he initiated and making him “optimistic” for 2022. With the pandemic, “where we could have postponed everything, we have never given up our collective ambition,” said the Head of State. “In recent weeks and in the coming months alone, decisions about which we have been talking for decades have been and will be taken”, he added, citing among others the “reform of unemployment insurance”, the measures of “Purchasing power”, the inflation allowance “,” the energy check “,” the increase in the salaries of the most modest civil servants, “the thermal renovation”.
8:13 p.m .: Emmanuel Macron calls on the French to “remain united” and “benevolent”
“Let us remain united and benevolent, and united. So 2022 will be the year of all possibilities, ”calls Emmanuel Macron during his vows. “Long live Europe, long live the Republic and France”, concludes the Head of State.
8:10 pm: “Major choices will have to be made for our nation” in 2022
“2022 will be an election year (…) Major choices will have to be made for our nation”, declares Emmanuel Macron. “For my part, whatever my place and the circumstances, I will continue to serve you”, promises Emmanuel Macron.
8:09 pm: The French presidency of the EU, a “time for progress”
France will take the presidency of the European Union at “midnight”, recalls Emmanuel Macron. 2022 will be “the year of a European turning point”, promised the Head of State, adding that “our Europe is the only way by which France will be stronger”.
8:05 p.m .: Emmanuel Macron discusses the health crisis
The Head of State first mentions the Covid-19 epidemic. “The coming weeks will be difficult. The virus is circulating and will still circulate, ”declares the President of the Republic, once again calling on unvaccinated people to take the plunge. “Vaccination is our strongest asset, there are real reasons to hope,” he insists.
“2022 may be the year of exit from the epidemic”, assures the President of the Republic. Thanks to the vaccine, “we will be able to overcome this wave”, he adds, promising to “do everything to preserve the activity of the country” and “avoid taking restrictions that weigh on our freedom”.
8 p.m .: Emmanuel Macron’s wishes broadcast at 8 p.m.
The head of state chose to register his wishes beforehand, according to BFMTV.
M19h15: Jean Castex in the field this Friday evening
Prime Minister Jean Castex will be on his side on the ground this Friday evening, with the military, at Cochin hospital (Paris) and in a fire station, to show his support for caregivers and the police in charge of ensure New Year’s Eve security and sanitary restriction checks.
6:45 p.m.: The Elysée publishes a summary video of 2021
The Elysée on Thursday shared a summary video of 2021 on the networks, which mixes sporting and scientific exploits with presidential decisions and slogans. Positive and few medical images.
The presidential candidates overtake the President of the Republic
Emmanuel Macron’s opponents hastened this Friday to present wishes with electoral accents.
Against the backdrop of the French flag for Marine Le Pen, who hailed “a crucial year” by inviting the French to “run” the presidential election. Same setting for Eric Zemmour, who launched “farewell Emmanuel Macron”. It is without a flag that the PS candidate Anne Hidalgo for her part asked the French to follow with her “the path of courage and justice”.
The Republican candidate Valérie Pécresse wants to “raise hope” for 2022 while the environmental candidate Yannick Jadot claimed to embody the “useful vote”. More details in our live dedicated to the campaign of the presidential candidates.
6:40 p.m .: What will Emmanuel Macron say?
A year ago, after ten months of the epidemic, Emmanuel Macron launched, sitting next to a fireplace at the Elysee Palace: “Hope is there”, an allusion to the beginnings of the vaccine campaign against the Covid- 19 that he was asking his government to speed up. He promised “a stronger economy” and “a new French morning”. Since then, three successive waves have each time dampened the hope of a rapid exit from the crisis. In 2018 and 2019, it is in the light of two other violent shocks, that of the “yellow vests” and then of the contested pension reform that he sent his wishes for the New Year.
This time, for his last wishes for the five-year term, the Head of State, just back from his Var resort of Brégançon, will “draw up the list of the country’s challenges for 2022, including the French presidency of the European Union. (PFUE) and the management of the pandemic “, but also” look with lucidity the past months and with pragmatism the months to come “, indicates the Elysee without details. Whoever has not yet indicated whether he would run again in 2022 – which no one doubts – should thus defend his management of the health crisis and underline the good news on the front of the economy and employment. Massively supported by the State, growth should reach 6.7% in 2021 then 3.6% for 2022, according to the Banque de France. Unemployment remains at its lowest since 2008, at 8.1%.