A “risk of economic collapse” of the country, in the event of prolonged confinement? "No, I don't have those big words," said Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday in a television interview. The “big words” in question were however used on April 28 by Prime Minister Édouard Philippe, during the presentation of his deconfinement plan to the National Assembly. "I do not use this term at random" , had even insisted Édouard Philippe, certain of the "very serious consequences" of a longer confinement of the French at home.
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A week later, the head of state therefore rejects the formula of his head of government. But "measure" still "massive economic shock" suffered by the country as the world entered its worst recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s "We are only at the beginning of the economic crisis and social ” , warned Emmanuel Macron, during his televised interview.
Different roles in the crisis
A "crisis" and a "shock" , rather than a "risk of collapse" ? Lexical, the disavowal is no less revealing. It illustrates the dissensions between the two heads of the executive, while tensions - denied at Matignon as at the Élysée - were exposed during the preparation of the deconfinement strategy.
It also translates the various partitions played at the top of the State, since the beginning of the crisis. One, President of the Republic, ensures that "hope is reborn" and extols the "happy days" to come. The other, Prime Minister, describes "a critical moment" and calls for waiting for "better days". The first seeks to lead the country, when the second is forced to decline the practical methods of confinement and deconfinement.
Also read: Guillaume Tabard: "Epic and dramatic, the two partitions of power"
A distribution of roles summarized by Emmanuel Macron during his interview: "The government will specify the rules, I give the finality" . So much so that he refused to detail the conditions of travel after May 11: "I will not give you the bulletin, it is not my role. My role is perhaps to recall a form of common sense, in this period ”. The "common sense" rather than the "big words" , so.
No offense to Edouard Philippe, who obviously did not appreciate this call to order. Questioned in the National Assembly, the Prime Minister also renewed his cry of alarm about the risk of a " collapse " in the coming weeks. " As true as we have to be careful (in the deconfinement), we cannot stay still (so far). Because otherwise it is another risk that we will have to face: that of very bad economic news for the country. The collapse of production. Inability to redistribute. That of a social disaster at the exit. That of an educational catastrophe, ”he listed.
