Last step before a third confinement?
Asked about RMC this Friday morning, the day after the announcement of new restrictions by Jean Castex, the Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire, recalled that the curfew was to "
make it possible to limit the circulation of the virus
".
And, if this measure turned out to be insufficient, "
we will have to take an additional step
": "
in this case, there will be confinement
", he warned.
Read also: Covid-19: bringing the curfew forward to 6 p.m., is it really effective?
"
I really do not want it
", both as a citizen and as boss of Bercy, added the former Minister of Agriculture.
"
Everyone is fed up, there is a real weariness
", but we will "
have to show a lot of strength of soul
" in the weeks to come, judged Bruno Le Maire.
However, he praised the behavior and resilience of the French, criticizing those who "
tend to see systematically what is wrong, what is pulling us down
" since the start of the crisis.
The minister also returned to the announcements of the day before.
He first defended the absence of a reopening schedule for closed establishments - including restaurants, bars, sports halls and other cinemas: "
it would be totally risky and not honest
", he justified, adding that "
All devices will be maintained [...] as long as necessary
" to help them hold on.
"
We will maintain aid as long as we are forced to maintain restrictions,
" he insisted.
Bruno Le Maire in particular advised business leaders to discuss their state guaranteed loan (PGE) with their banker if necessary, and to report to the administration any difficulty encountered in obtaining aid.
"
We are doing our utmost to take into account the reality of the economic situation of companies,
" he said.
The 6% growth in 2021 will depend on a possible re-containment
Welcoming the solidarity of the players in the crisis, including banks and insurance companies, Bruno Le Maire considered that France was doing “
much better than the United States
” on managing the consequences of the crisis, thanks to its powerful social nets .
A position taken a few hours after the announcement of a massive stimulus package of 1900 billion dollars by the new president Joe Biden.
The economic situation in France remains fragile, however.
The forecast of 6% growth for 2021 is "
a challenge
", admitted captain de Bercy: it "
assumes that there is no re-containment, which has a very strong impact on growth
".
It also assumes that the recovery takes place quickly and strongly.
Today, "
there are two economies in France
": one, disaster, is made up of closed companies.
The other "
is doing well
" and continues his activity almost normally.
"
There are powerful reasons for hope
," said Bruno Le Maire, saying his "
conviction
" that the economy would restart strongly once the crisis has passed.
The minister also reiterated his opposition to an RSA for 18-25 year olds, believing that it was "
not a good solution
": "
at eighteen, what you want is a job, c is remuneration.
[...] I think that one builds his life by the work, the employment which you find, the engagement in a profession
”, he explained.
Bruno Le Maire also reiterated his opposition to the takeover of Carrefour by the Canadian Couche-Tard.
"
Food security is strategic for our country,
" he said, specifying that the State was ready to resort to the expanded decree supplemented by the Pacte law in order to block this takeover.
"
It's a courteous no, but clear, and definitive,
" he summed up, hoping that his position would be heard across the Atlantic.
