A page turns.
But the chapter remains open.
And the book is far from over.
At the end of a chaotic year 2020, marked by an unprecedented health crisis, Emmanuel Macron said unpublished “wishes to the French” this Thursday evening.
In a worrying context of epidemic resumption, and while the national vaccination campaign is lagging far behind other countries, the President of the Republic has placed his intervention under the sign of hope, without however denying the reality of the situation .
Read also: How 2020 paralyzed Emmanuel Macron's five-year term
Installed in a black leather armchair, near the fireplace of the “Aides de camp” lounge of the Elysee, the Head of State spoke for about a quarter of an hour.
"
Tonight, we are not living a December 31st like the others
", he admitted in the introduction.
"
The year 2020 ends (...) as it unfolded: by efforts and restrictions
", he continued.
Before rectifying: "
The year 2020 is not just about the epidemic, even if it has changed our lives
".
He then reviewed the last twelve months, then he projected himself into the next twelve months.
●
"
In 2021, whatever happens, we will therefore be able to cope with crises
"
The sudden arrival of Covid-19, at the start of the year, "
reminded us of our vulnerabilities
".
But "
our Nation has gone through this year with such unity and such resilience: nothing can resist it
", hammered Emmanuel Macron.
"
In 2021, whatever happens, we will therefore be able to cope with crises - health, economic and social, terrorist, climate (...)
", he detailed, repeating his "whatever happens “, Like a promise addressed to the French.
● Confinement, curfew ...
"We made the right choices at the right times"
The second wave is not yet over, the third is already lurking.
Especially among several of our European neighbors, who were forced to urgently reconfine before the end of the year holidays.
"
I am sincerely convinced that we made the right choices at the right times and I want to thank you for your civility,
" greeted Emmanuel Macron, alluding to the curfew and the containment of the fall.
"
From this spirit of collective responsibility through which we have saved so many lives and which allows us today to hold out better than many in the face of the epidemic,
" he insisted.
●
“
Conspiracy
”
on the vaccine will not result in any
“undue delay”
France is one of the worst students in the world, and there is an urgent need to rectify the situation.
This is in substance the message delivered by Emmanuel Macron, who refused to let "
an unjustified slowness take hold
", especially "
for bad reasons
", namely "
obscurantism and conspiracy
".
"
Hope is there in this vaccine that human genius made happen in only one year
", he recalled, affirming that "
every Frenchman who wishes it must be able to be vaccinated
", in accordance with the schedule detailed by the Minister of Health Olivier Véran.
● The first, second and third line
“
held our country to the test
”
Whether they are known to the general public or not, the "
committed and (the) united
" of the "first", "second" and "third" lines "
have held our country in the test
".
Among "
these first names (and) these faces
" are hidden "
those of your sister, your neighbor, your friends, these thousands of anonymous
".
Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to them, by naming nine of them by name: Marie-Corentine, 24-year-old nurse from Limoges;
Jean-Luc, Anthony and Maxime, garbage collectors in Guyana;
Gérald, entrepreneur near Angers;
Lucas, 11, who lives in Béthune and who has donated his tablet to sick and isolated elderly people;
Rosalie, bookseller in Bagnolet;
or even Romain, gendarme in Tende.
To these everyday heroes were added those of Arno, Cyrille and Rémi, gendarmes killed while rescuing a battered woman in Puy-de-Dôme, as well as Tanerii, Dorian and Quentin, soldiers who died last Monday in operation in Mali;
Medi, professor in the northern districts of Marseille where he taught secularism after the assassination of Samuel Paty;
Wendie (Renard), footballer, who won the Champions League with the women's team of Olympique de Lyon.
And finally Mauricette, septuagenarian who sent "
a magnificent message of hope for the coming year
" by agreeing to be the first vaccinated in the territory.
● Take on
“whatever the cost”, without letting it turn into “a burden”
Avoid falling into the “magic money” trap.
Faithful since the start of the crisis to the doctrine of “whatever it costs” - which he has set and which he “
assumes
” - Emmanuel Macron has shown himself to be concerned about the risks that arise in front of him.
"
We will have to build together the responses that will not make it a burden for future generations
," he warned, aware that one day we will have to disconnect the financial infusion that he has fueled "
to protect and support young people, workers and entrepreneurs
”.
● Despite Brexit, the United Kingdom remains
“our neighbor, our friend and our ally”
The stroke of midnight will mark the official entry into force of Brexit.
"
For the first time a country - the United Kingdom - will leave the European Union
", regretted Emmanuel Macron, estimating that "
this choice (...) was the child of European malaise and many lies and false promises
”.
Despite this divorce, Britain "
remains
" not only "
our neighbor, but also our friend and ally
".
The President of the Republic then welcomed the agreement concluded "
a few days ago
", which will, according to him, allow "to
organize our future relations (...) by defending our interests, our industrialists, our fishermen and our European unity.
".
● A
“
new French morning
” and “
a stronger economy
” in the spring
We will have to wait another semester before the happy days return.
"
The first months of the year will be difficult and, at least until spring, the epidemic will still weigh heavily on the life of our country,
" said Emmanuel Macron.
However, the "
recovery is already shaking in France more than elsewhere
", which "
will allow us, from the spring, to invent a stronger economy, at the same time creating jobs, more innovative, more respectful of the climate and biodiversity and more solidarity
”.
"So together, in harmony, let us look ahead, look at our future, start preparing today for this spring 2021 which will be the start of a new French morning, of a European renaissance", he concluded.