“At some point we should ask ourselves the question of what we came to defend by engaging in politics. We are not here to be the good students of finance… ”, sighs, disappointed, a member of the government. The rejection Thursday by the majority LREM in the Assembly of a bill of law of the group UDI-Agir which aimed to establish a bereavement leave of twelve days rather than five for the death of a child caused an outcry in the ranks of the opposition. But also an internal storm in the government.
During the parliamentary discussion, the Minister of Labor Muriel Pénicaud rejected the proposal arguing that it was "leave paid 100% by the company" and defended instead of a donation from RTT by colleagues of grieving parents. A more pro-business position than Medef itself which, through the voice of its president Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux, said Friday favorable to the extension of the leave. The boss of the bosses even asked for a new vote.
Very quickly, while the opposition, unanimous, shouts with "shame" and that the social networks ignite, the discomfort spreads within macronie. “More than shocked, I found that some debates were not worthy. Responding with financial arguments to children's grief is not audible, ”says Marlène Schiappa.
According to our information, the secretary of state for equality between women and men has even put her resignation in the balance. From Thursday evening and throughout Friday, the government's WhatsApp loops heat up. Another minister sends a message directly to the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister. "We have a problem ..." she alerts directly. Both immediately demand to "treat" it.
Macron asked government to "show humanity"
Seeing the controversy mount, a member of the government alerted the secretary general of the Elysée Palace, Alexis Kohler and Brigitte Macron, often confronted, by his position as first lady, with seriously ill children. Behind the scenes, the “exchanges were stormy” with Muriel Pénicaud, testifies an internal source.
Friday, the Minister of Labor and the Secretary of State responsible for child protection Adrien Taquet announce a "consultation with associations, unions and employers' organizations" to "improve support measures for parents facing grief 'a kid ".
"It could have been clearer," slips a minister who observes that the controversy is not over. It is finally the Elysee Palace which intervenes this Saturday by leaking that Emmanuel Macron asked the government "to show humanity". "The President of the Republic saw the emotion that this aroused and felt that the position of the majority was not going in the right direction," explains the Chateau. In all likelihood, the majority should therefore support the UDI bill during its next examination in the Senate.
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It remains to be seen how such a hiccup was made possible. "It went under our radars, we are investigating ourselves to find out how we got there," slips a minister. “The LREM deputies are stupid, they don't know how to do the job and the Minister of Labor did it wrong. This is what people who come with their good faith and their technicality and who do it like branques ", judge, severe, a tenor of macronie. "There is no point in overwhelming Muriel Pénicaud," blows a minister. The lack of political sense goes far beyond… ”At LREM, the time for introspection could last more than five days.
