Each in turn. In the aftermath of the television interview granted Tuesday by Emmanuel Macron to TF1 and France 2, Prime Minister Jean Castex spoke at the National Assembly this Wednesday afternoon. Two weeks after his appointment to Matignon, the head of government delivered his first general policy speech in the hemicycle, before seeking the confidence of the deputies in the late afternoon. At the podium, he began to define the contours of the " new path " promised by the executive to project the country in the "next world ", and face the economic and social crisis expected from the start of the school year.
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● Coronavirus: development of the wearing of masks and intensification of screenings
Arrived at Matignon after " one of the most serious health crises " that France " has known ", the Prime Minister wishes to " strengthen our preventive actions ". According to him, it is the " best way to prepare for a possible resumption of the epidemic " and to " avoid " a " return to strict and broad forms of confinement ". " This necessarily involves the development of the wearing of masks and an intensification of our screening policy ," he says.
● At least 100 billion euros for the recovery plan
" The health crisis was followed by an economic crisis of a scale not seen since the Second World War, " said Jean Castex. The Prime Minister then specified the modalities of the stimulus plan of 100 billion euros planned by the executive. " This plan will first invest in preserving employment through partial activity schemes ", with 30 billion euros in 2020 and 8 billion euros next year. Within this envelope, 40 billion will be allocated in particular to the transformation of French strategic industrial sectors. " The crisis has highlighted the weakness of our productive apparatus, unable to provide for our needs in strategic goods ", he insisted. Some 20 billion euros will be dedicated to thermal renovation and ecological transition.
● The fight against unemployment, "top priority" for the "next 18 months"
" The fight against unemployment and the preservation of employment ": these will be the government's " absolute " priorities for " the next 18 months ".
● Pensions: “necessary” reform, distinguishing it “from any financial measure”
" The crisis invites more than ever to pursue our objectives towards a fairer and more equitable system, in particular for women and modest workers ". It is in these terms that the Prime Minister put the pension reform back on the job. Jean Castex argued for " the creation of a universal scheme (which) implies the end of special schemes in the long term ", but he said he wanted to take " fully into account the situation of the current beneficiaries of these schemes ". Recognizing that the modalities of this reform have generated “ concern and misunderstanding ” in the past, he undertook to “ propose to the social partners as well as to the parliamentarians that concertation be resumed in order to improve the content and the readability of this reform ”. Finally, he confirmed that he was going to “ very clearly ” distinguish structural reform from any “ parametric financial measure (…) ”, like the very controversial pivotal age.
● A great plan to help young people return to school
" First affected by the crisis ", young people are " the first emergency " of the executive. This is why a youth plan " will be discussed on Friday with the social partners ", in order to support the 700,000 young people who will present themselves in September on the job market. The Prime Minister notably announced the creation of 300,000 pathways and integration contracts, which will “ reach out to the most disadvantaged young people ”. He also mentioned 100,000 more places in civic service. Finally, he bet on training, announcing the objective of creating " 200,000 additional training places in 2021 ", he announced.
● 19 billion more for the hospital, between subsidies and debt recovery
Jean Castex welcomed the results of the Ségur de la Santé signed on Monday, which will allow " each nurse (to) earn from next year at least 200 euros more net each month ". " Let us be proud, " he urged, before announcing new helpers in the hospital. “ There will be added to it, as part of the recovery plan 13 billion (euros) of recovery of hospital debt and an additional 6 billion in investments for our health system. The aim is to give more flexibility to establishments, ”he added.
● Meal at 1 € for scholarship students in university restaurants
In order to " support students, especially the most modest, who find themselves in difficulty with less access to odd jobs ", the Prime Minister announced that " from the start of the school year, meals in university restaurants will be 1 euro for scholarship students ”, against 3.30 euros currently.
● “Exceptional” revaluation of 100 euros from the back-to-school allowance
Among the many " support measures for our most vulnerable citizens ", the Prime Minister announced an " exceptional " revaluation of 100 euros for the back-to-school allowance in September. He also specified that the poverty plan, unveiled in 2018 by Emmanuel Macron, " will be amplified according to the evolution of the economic situation ".
● Suspended, the unemployment insurance reform will be "adjusted"
" Suspended " until further notice, certain reforms will now be able to resume ... In new forms. The Prime Minister notably said he wanted to " adjust " the text on unemployment insurance. " This will be one of the points that we will tackle on Friday (with the social partners) within the framework of the social dialogue conference, " he said. A little earlier, he wanted to recall that " when the coronavirus crisis hit our country, unemployment was at its lowest for more than ten years ".
● A bill against "separatism" will be presented at the start of the school year
The Prime Minister said that the fight against radical Islam remains " a major concern " of the government. As such, a bill “ against separatism ” will be presented at the start of the Council of Ministers. The Prime Minister, who wants to defend secularism " with intransigence ", wishes "to avoid that certain groups do not close around ethnic or religious affiliations ".
● “Firm response” to “ultra violent minorities” and everyday delinquency
After the violence perpetrated in June in Dijon (Côte-d'Or) and the recent fatal attack by a bus driver in Bayonne (Pyrénées-Atlantiques), Jean Castex promises a " firm response " to " ultra-violent minorities " and to " everyday delinquency ". The Prime Minister also intends to " fight with the last energy " against " domestic " violence , as well as " all (the) forms of discrimination ", " racism " and " anti-Semitism ". He wants to create " proximity judges " to repress " everyday incivility ".
● The “first ambition” of the executive will be to “bring France together”
Emmanuel Macron admitted on Tuesday that he had " failed " to reconcile the French. But there is no question of staying on this statement of failure. " Our first ambition, immense " will be to " weld or reweld (the country) ", said the Prime Minister. He regretted that France today is " shaken in its foundations by the coalition of its enemies: terrorists, extremists, conspiracies, separatists, communitarians ".
● Yes to "ecological growth", no "to green decrease"
While the executive has promised to adopt almost all of the proposals of the Climate Convention, Jean Castex said he believed " in ecological growth" but not in " green decay ". "Nothing would be more ineffective or unfair than asking some of our fellow citizens who do not have (...) the means to suddenly change their mode of consumption or travel, " he said. He nevertheless enjoined " our companies to evolve ", indicating that 20 billion euros of the recovery plan would be devoted to the ecological transition and the technical renovation of thermal buildings.
● Towards a “very ambitious cycling plan”
The “next world” will include “ a very ambitious cycling plan ” and “ contractualized ” with the communities. Prime Minister Jean Castex announced that " significant and unequaled amounts " would be invested in this direction. He also added that, by the end of 2021, all territories will have to have " ecological development contracts ".
● A “right to differentiation” of territories will be enshrined in a law
Desiring to start a “ new stage of decentralization ” to “ trust ” the “ territories ”, Jean Castex wants a “ right to differentiation ” of local authorities to be enshrined. This principle, which had hitherto been contained in the reform of the Constitution - which had stalled - should finally appear in an " organic law ".
● Civil servants: all creations will be made in departmental services
" It's a revolution ". Jean Castex announced that all job creations of civil servants will now be affected, " with justified exceptions ", in the departmental services of the State. And no longer in central administrations. " Our intention is to quickly make more coherent and more effective the territorial organization of the State, in particular at the level of the department ", he justified.
● Long-term care: creation of a "fifth branch" of Social Security
During his speech, the Prime Minister announced the creation of a "fifth branch" of Social Security, dedicated to dependency. This body will cover the risks of life linked to loss of autonomy and disability. It is thus added to the four others that already exist: illness, old age, family, accidents at work. Its principle had been voted at first reading in the Assembly on the night of Monday June 15 to Tuesday June 16.
