Simple change of tone or real change of foot? On the sidelines of a trip to the site of the mask factory of the SME Kolmi-Hopen, in the suburbs of Angers (Maine-et-Loire), Emmanuel Macron has renounced his traditional liberal accents, and opted for a clearly more sovereignist discourse. Aware of the “ very high tension ” to which we are “ subject ” worldwide in terms of equipment for protection against the coronavirus, the President of the Republic has made several commitments at the national level.
LIVE - Mask production: Macron wants "full and complete independence" from France "by the end of the year"
Concretely, the Head of State said he wanted "full and complete independence" from France "by the end of the year" in the production of masks, whether FFP2, surgical, or categories 3 and 4. " At the end of April we will be more than 10 million " from masks made in France, he said, and " we will continue this effort ". Similarly, he confirmed that a consortium of four major industrial groups had just been created, with the aim of manufacturing " by mid-May 10,000 respirators " to equip hospitals overwhelmed by serious cases of patients. This group of companies, led by Air Liquide, is made up of the electrical equipment specialist Schneider Electric, the automotive supplier Valeo and the manufacturer PSA.
"Producing more in France and regaining this independence"
In order to be able to “place the orders” that the country needs, the Head of State notably announced an “ exceptional ” allocation of 4 billion euros to Public Health France. “ To lead this fight against the virus, in a context where all certainties are swept away? (...) we have, of course, had an order and import strategy. But our priority today is to produce more in France. And to produce more in Europe, "he said. “ The day after will not be like the day before. We must rebuild our national and European sovereignty ”, he summed up, before ensuring that he had always been on this line.
“ We started before the crisis, and you have often heard me talk about it. We have passed reforms that allow our country to be more competitive. But we must regain the moral strength and the will to produce more in France and regain this independence. This is what we are starting to do with strength and courage, on the essentials for this crisis. This is what we will continue to do the next day. Sovereignty, and solidarity ”, detailed Emmanuel Macron.
"Irresponsible" Opposition to Trial "When We Didn't Win"
According to him, only " United France whose face we have here today (and) which, everywhere in France, is being deployed with force and which will allow us to win against this invisible enemy because it is not invincible ". " This would not be possible without the commitment of women and men who count their hours and who, with courage, are there to move the country forward. (...) It is this united France in which I believe, "he developed, using the Mitterrandian formula, that the former socialist president had erected as a slogan on his campaign posters for his re-election in 1988.
In conclusion of his speech, Emmanuel Macron took advantage of the question of a journalist to settle some accounts with a part of the opposition, whose leaders are not according to him at the moment. “ My temper is never to exempt me from anything. But I have a simple principle: when you fight a battle, you have to be united to win it. And I think that everyone who is already trying to sue when we have not won the war is irresponsible. The time will come for responsibility. And at that time, full transparency will have to be done. But first I call to dignity and the spirit of responsibility those who build certainties with today's knowledge when it was not yesterday. "
" You know, I could find the words of all those who explain the great difficulties to you and who, a few days before my first speech on March 12, explained who 'it would be unworthy to postpone the municipal elections', who' all this is a staging by the government and goes too far '... So everyone has learned, and we all learn with great humility because this pandemic is unprecedented . "
