Referendum, deconfinement, separatism ... What to remember from Jean Castex's interview

Prevention, prevention and more prevention.

As the end of the year holidays approach, the executive fears an increase in contamination and a potential third wave of Covid-19 in France.

Invited on Europe 1 Tuesday, December 15 morning, Jean Castex even encouraged the French to

"self-confine"

just before celebrating Christmas, as proposed by the Scientific Council.

The Prime Minister also returned to another, more political front, opened Monday evening by Emmanuel Macron: the potential future referendum on the environment.

While the text must first be validated by the two parliamentary chambers, and the health crisis continues, Jean Castex did not wish to give a date for the ballot.

• Referendum: Castex wants it to take place "if possible

  "

  before the end of the five-year term

Emmanuel Macron announced Monday evening the future holding of a referendum for the inclusion of an ecological imperative in article 1 of the Constitution.

Jean Castex, however, did not specify the timetable, in particular because of the health crisis.

The Prime Minister simply wants it to take place

"if possible, of course",

before the end of the five-year term.

If this is not playable, the referendum would risk being buried.

Jean Castex also recalled that the text must first be validated

"in compliant terms"

by the National Assembly and the Senate.

This could, again, delay the deadline.

• Roselyne Bachelot "fights like a lioness for the cultural sector"

Jean Castex was not optimistic about a rapid reopening of establishments linked to culture, including bars and restaurants.

“We had planned, depending on the evolution of the epidemic, a gradual return to openness.

It turns out that in France, like everywhere in Europe, these results are not at the rendezvous

, he admitted.

There were no other alternatives, otherwise I would not have made these decisions.

I consider that they are necessary for reasons of protection of the French ”

.

The Prime Minister assured that the government would continue to

"accompany"

the cultural sector, with in the front line the Minister of Culture who

"fights like a lioness"

.

• Children may not go to school on Thursday and Friday

It's a small surprise, which risks tying knots in the minds of parents and teachers.

Jean Castex announced that the children will be able to not go to school Thursday and Friday to respect eight days of confinement before Christmas.

"It is not an obligation"

, he said however, speaking rather of

"recommendations"

.

The Prime Minister also proposed to the French who could do so to

“self-confine”,

as advocated by the Scientific Council, again to avoid contaminating or being contaminated before the end of the year holidays.

• Vaccines: "We are putting ourselves in a position not to run out of doses or logistics"

While several countries are starting to vaccinate their populations, France has planned to launch, in conjunction with the European Union, at the start of 2021. Jean Castex ensures that

"all precautions are taken so that the French can be vaccinated in all safety. security".

"We depend on supplies purchased in Europe, but if everything goes as planned, we are in a position not to miss either doses or logistical means to vaccinate the French population",

said the Prime Minister.

• Separatism: "Not the objective of reopening the debate on the veil"

Regarding the bill against "separatism", Jean Castex confirmed that the government would not support the amendment of the LREM deputy, Aurore Bergé, who wants to ban the veil for little girls.

"I think that it is not the objective of this text to reopen the debate on the veil"

, explained the Prime Minister.

However, he assured that the government would discuss with the MP

“ways and means to put an end to”

these practices.