RECAP: The President of the Republic spoke to the French on the news of TF1 and France 2 on the pension reform
The President of the Republic wanted to dot the “i” and “clarify” things. The pension reform “will continue on its democratic path”, insisted Emmanuel Macron, interviewed on Wednesday on the news of TF1 and France 2 live. Having remained quite discreet on the subject since the beginning of the challenges to the government bill, the Head of State finally spoke about the demonstrations, the text and the projects to come for the government, on the eve of the ninth day of national mobilization. Summary of his speech.
An application by the end of the year
The president will go all the way. Emphasizing “the best interests of the nation”, and the “necessity” of this reform, Emmanuel Macron plans for his project to come into force by the end of the year “so that things get back in place “, and in particular that 1.8 million retirees “begin to be increased by around 600 euros per year on average” and that “we are starting to shift the legal age by three additional months”. “This reform, it is necessary, it does not please me, I would have liked not to do it, but that is also why I made the commitment to do it”, affirmed the head of the State.
Clarification of his remarks on the demonstrators
“That there are demonstrations organized to say we are against it is legitimate”, but “the violence must be condemned, the blockages must be able to be lifted”, warned Emmanuel Macron, questioned about his remarks on claiming that “the crowd” has no “legitimacy”.
“We will not tolerate any overflow”, “we cannot accept either the rebels or the factions” after the adoption by 49.3 of the pension reform, he insisted, denouncing among the demonstrators “groups which use violence “.
Unpopular, so what?
Emmanuel Macron said he was ready on Wednesday to “endorse unpopularity” to implement his highly contested reform, deploring that the unions did not offer a “compromise”. “I am not looking to be re-elected […], but between short-term polls and the general interest of the country, I choose the general interest of the country”, affirmed the Head of State, adding that ” if it is necessary behind to endorse the unpopularity today, I will endorse it”.
The Head of State regretted that the unions had not presented a “compromise proposal” on the text of the reform, stressing that the government did, on the other hand, “with Parliament. »
Towards a contribution from companies?
Denouncing the “cynicism” of certain “big companies” which have generated significant exceptional profits allowing them to buy back their own shares on the stock market, Emmanuel Macron will ask them for “an exceptional contribution” so that “workers can benefit” from this money.
“There is still a bit of cynicism at work, when you have large companies that make a such exceptional income that they end up using this money to buy back their own shares,” said the head of the State on TF1 and France 2, adding that he intends to “ask the government to work on an exceptional contribution. »
Reopen dialogue with social partners
“It is also up to me, the executive, to try to hear the legitimate anger that has been expressed during these disputes ”. This is why Emmanuel Macron wants to “re-engage” a dialogue with the social partners on working conditions.
He promised that the discussion would concern in particular the evolution of careers or hardship, and would be held “in the coming weeks” from a “method” defined in “three weeks / one month”, and would not take the form of “high masses” but of “concrete discussions”.
Elisabeth Borne saved from the waters
Despite the turbulence around the parliamentary progress of the bill, and in particular the use of 49.3 which triggered two motions of censure against the government, the Prime Minister remains in place.
Elisabeth Borne “has my confidence to lead this government team”, he underlined, specifying that he had asked her “to build a legislative program, a government program […] to have both fewer laws, shorter, clearer texts, to also change things for our compatriots in a more tangible way. »
