Interview of July 14: why Emmanuel Macron speaks again

It became his obsession. "We only have 600 days left, a little less than two useful years," repeats Emmanuel Macron to all those, ministers and friends, whom he meets. Whoever boasted of being the master of clocks saw his eye on the countdown. "The head of state is paralyzed at the idea of ​​no longer being able to act," emphasizes an intimate. This is one of the reasons which led to the departure of Edouard Philippe. He had to convince him constantly, as for the rhythm of the deconfinement, it took time. Conversely, Emmanuel Macron appreciates Jean Castex's ability to act, to manage teams, to move around the field without stopping. "

On the eve of the Prime Minister's general policy speech, Emmanuel Macron wants to convince that the new team at the top of the state will give the country a boost. “We would like him to tell us where the president is going and why we have changed co-pilot, insists the communicator Philippe Moreau Chevrolet, president of MCBG Conseil. The French want dialogue, not a permanent monologue. "

This is good, the president resumes this Tuesday with the traditional exercise of the interview of July 14. An interview which gave rise to three weeks of backstage discussions between the Elysée Palace, TF1 and France 2. It will take place after the military mini-parade at Place de la Concorde, reduced due to Covid-19. "Society needs benchmarks", justifies Emmanuel Macron, in private.

"It will be his moment of truth"

As of Thursday, his colleagues sent him notes. The head of state went green in the presidential residence of La Lanterne, in Versailles, in the Yvelines, to prepare for questions from journalists Léa Salamé and Gilles Bouleau. He approaches the exercise with a whole new asset in his game: the signing, Monday, July 13, of a historic agreement of eight billion euros in favor of the hospital.

This "Ségur de la Santé" is the fruit of eight weeks of intense negotiations between the unions and the government. "I was committed to it, we have just done it," tweeted, in a victorious tone, the head of state.

I was committed to it, we have just done it. The careers and salaries of our caregivers who gave so much during the crisis are upgraded: https://t.co/qFvQWdQDhg

Enough to calm the social front that is looming at the start of the new school year? Not sure - the CGT is already calling for a demonstration on September 17. "The Head of State wants to restore meaning, before a return which promises to be complicated, he must make the pedagogy of his new path", summarizes a councilor of the palace. "Talking about new paths is good, but it is also very smoky somewhere," slips, lucidly, a heavy minister. The President realizes that we must not disappoint with this interview. It will be his moment of truth after all these months of crisis. "

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The stimulus plan under preparation will be the focus of attention, while the opposition is asking for more announcements. But who, of the President of the Republic or the Prime Minister, will reveal its outlines? On industrial independence, on youth employment, on unemployment insurance reform, on thermal renovation and other files under arbitration, the executive couple will have to divide the responses between the host of the 'Elysée, supposed to set the course, and its Prime Minister, charged in theory with the application. The duo has two days to get started, under the eyes of the French. "The head of state has formed a combat government, a mission, he expects to be questioned on this term," slips a relative.

The Darmanin affair, "impossible to pass over in silence"

In this area, the president cannot avoid a trap: the controversy created by the appointment to the Interior of Gérald Darmanin, targeted by a complaint for rape and sexual harassment. Feminist associations denounce a scandal. "It is a real problem, impossible to pass under silence, recognizes an evening visitor to Emmanuel Macron. The president must preserve the presumption of innocence, of which he is the guarantor. At the same time, it must defend its record in terms of combating violence against women. "Acrobatic ..." If Macron starts talking about the presumption of innocence, we will blame him for wanting to cover his minister, "laments a member of the government, who denounces a" moralist shift in certain leftist associations ".

While waiting to cross paths with the journalists, Emmanuel Macron was able to work on his positioning as a unifier, by addressing the military to the Ministry of the Armed Forces, for the traditional exchange on July 13. He praised the “momentum and dynamism” of the soldiers involved in the management of the health crisis. And to underline, in front of an audience of participants, masked because of coronavirus: "We must remain vigilant, but life has resumed its course". Provided that a second wave of the epidemic does not come to encroach on the “600 days” which remain…