“Without doubt a moment of neglect.
A moment of bad luck too, but that's how it is ”.
The confession is made by Emmanuel Macron, in a video posted this Friday, December 18 in the afternoon from the Lanterne residence in Versailles, the day after the announcement of his positive Covid-19 test.
A president filming himself to discuss his state of health and come back to the reasons that led him to put himself in solitary confinement for seven days?
The exercise is unprecedented from every point of view.
The tired features, dark turtleneck, the slightly veiled stamp and the pale face, the Head of State does indeed appear unvarnished, in an approximate framing, to evoke his contamination.
A transparency operation, which will be repeated daily, fully claimed by the Elysée and of which he had "the idea himself", it is said, while the health of presidents has always been a taboo in the Fifth Republic.
VIDEO. Macron positive for Covid-19: "I wanted to reassure you, I'm fine"
Control the tempo of your communication, relay a prevention message, answer questions… but also accusations of recklessness.
Such was the objective of this video seen by more than 600,000 people after only one hour of uploading.
Because Emmanuel Macron must also extinguish a small fire, a controversy that would have gone well in such a context: this famous working dinner on Wednesday where he found himself with Jean Castex and several members of the majority at the Elysee Palace, exceeding the recommended gauge of six people, and during curfew.
"Above the Laws Jupiter and the Heroes of Olympus"
A "mistake", some believe, which earned Friday the Prime Minister, as well as all the participants of this meal - except Emmanuel Macron, protected by his presidential immunity - the sad privilege of being prosecuted by two collective complaints, including one before the Court of Justice of the Republic, for “endangering the life of others”.
They are liable to one year's imprisonment and a fine of 15,000 euros ...
It must be said that in recent hours, the comments have continued to go well, especially on social networks, never tender.
Same thing among his fiercest opponents, like the Insubordinate François Ruffin: “Guys gluttony seafood at ten until after midnight!
While for us, for normal people, it is not more than six at the table even for New Years!
There is a law for humans and above the law Jupiter and the heroes of Olympus, ”the deputy for the Somme loaded on his Twitter account.
Was the president negligent?
On the side of the Presidential Palace, the answer is swept away with the back of the hand: "If he had been reckless, with nine months of the virus, he would have already had it", we are annoyed, recalling that the Elysee Palace has been subject since the start of the crisis to a very strict and restrictive health protocol.
“He never makes the slightest move without wearing the mask, even from one office to another.
In addition, he brushes his hands all the time with hydroalcoholic gel.
And this for a long time, long before the coronavirus, “growls his close guard.
But the recall of the images of a president in the midst of European leaders last week, sometimes without a mask, succeeded in convincing his critics.
"He's working and that's what the French are waiting for"
By virtue of his status as head of state, Emmanuel Macron is not a personality like the others.
"Should we expect a President of the Republic, who, in addition, manages an exceptional crisis, to do nothing more?
I do not believe that.
Yes, he does meetings very late at night.
He works and that's what the French expect from him, ”annoys a minister.
" He assumes.
When France was completely confined, during the first wave of last spring, he himself never ceased to say that he would continue to be on the ground, on the front line, ”said his entourage.
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So from the Lantern, although he is "a little tired", Emmanuel Macron does not stand still.
Friday, he exchanged by phone and videoconference with several members of his government, including Prime Minister Jean Castex.
"I noticed that he still read my texts… but that he answered less quickly", confides one of his friends.
He also responded to the many messages of support sent in recent hours by foreign heads of state, then paused at midday.
It was to watch Jean-Pierre Pernaut - a Picard like him - say goodbye to 13 hours of TF 1.