"That's it, we pressed the button: the logic of deconfinement is engaged", welcomes an intimate Prime Minister, before blowing: "Now we have to see how it all evolves ...". In the alleys of power we oscillated this Monday between vigilance and relief. Relief, because no major incident came to darken this May 11, so crucial for the executive. Even the delay in the lighting of the promulgation of the law on the state of health emergency was on the way this Monday evening to be no more than a bad memory.
The evening before, however, the evening was not trivial at the top of the state. Seized until early Sunday afternoon by leftist deputies, the Constitutional Council was unable to deliver its decision on time, contrary to what the government hoped for. Sunday evening, Emmanuel Macron and Edouard Philippe therefore had to agree, as a matter of urgency, on the procedure to follow to give a legal framework to the deconfinement.
In the end, the drafting and publication, at night, of a decree (on the wearing of masks in transport or the end of restrictions on leaving the home in particular). And, rare, a double press release from the Elysée and Matignon to appeal to the meaning of "responsibilities". Because at this time, a legal vacuum surrounded two flagship measures: limiting travel to 100 km and compulsory certification in public transport! Their application was therefore based solely on the good will of the French ...
"If we had lacked masks, we would have heard of that only"
It was not until the early evening, this Monday, for the Wise Men to validate the law, while censoring elements linked to the isolation of the patients and the "tracing" of their contacts. “The government welcomes the decision of the Constitutional Council. This will allow us to take immediately all the additional measures to implement our deconfinement plan ", we are delighted at the Elysée and Matignon, where we worked hard this Monday evening to make the necessary changes in view rapid promulgation of the text. "The essential of the censured provisions are those requested by the Senate", adds, perfidious, a close relation of the Prime Minister when a minister, him, is pleased that "it validates, basically, the state of health emergency" in in force since March.
Edouard Philippe learned this good news during a videoconference with his ministers. The opportunity to take stock of this very special day. "In essence, he said that everything had gone well thanks to the sense of responsibility of the French and the good organization of public authorities," said one participant. "If we had lacked masks, we would have heard of that," exclaims an executive adviser.
Vigilance is more important than ever
A government, which took care to display itself on the bridge. "The instructions were passed to the ministers to make a lot of trips while respecting the wearing of the mask and the barrier gestures," specifies Matignon. Jean-Michel Blanquer (Education) in a Parisian school, Bruno Le Maire (Economy) on a construction site in Saint-Germain-en-Laye (Yvelines), Jean-Baptiste Djebbari (Transport) in a metro station or Franck Riester in a bookshop in Vincennes (Val-de-Marne)… Targeted trips to embrace all issues. "We look like penguins with these masks. It's really not practical! Annoys a government adviser. But no way to cut it. You have to lead by example. Like a Blanquer washing his hands for a long time under the lenses of cameras…
The Prime Minister and the President, on the other hand, remained very discreet. “He is in pure management. He will only speak on the basis of necessity or if other trade-offs are to be made, ”specifies the entourage of Edouard Philippe. Emmanuel Macron, notably kept informed of the progress of operations by feedback and testimonies from local elected officials, intends to continue his consultations. Because at the Elysée, it is estimated that we will have to wait until the end of the week to have "feedback" consolidated on the implementation of this unprecedented process. Vigilance is therefore more important than ever.