"External confinement": the strategy of the executive in the face of Covid under fire from critics

While everywhere - or almost - the signals of the Covid-19 pandemic are turning red, everywhere, on the right and on the left, and even in the majority, the alarm bells are sounding!

Contamination on the rise, resuscitation services above the alert threshold ... The executive is more than ever under pressure.

On the front line, Emmanuel Macron, whose choice made since the end of January not to reconfigure the country was reaffirmed last week, by opting for “confinement outside”, in 16 departments.

"Emmanuel Macron, the warlord who decides everything in this crisis, has been faulty", protests Eric Ciotti, LR deputy of the Alpes-Maritimes, a department, already "under bell".

“We will be forced to toughen our system when other countries start to release the pressure.

These hesitations, these reversals seriously undermine the credibility of the words of the executive, ”continues the elected official.

“Macron is betting on people's lives for a cheap reason for political communication.

This bet is lost ”, reacts Julien Bayou, the leader of EELV.

"The pressure is mounting," recognizes an adviser to the executive.

It's a complicated time.

But for now the idea is to try to make it hold.

"

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Especially since, recalls the government, it will be necessary to wait for the current of next week to know if the famous "slow down without locking up" produces effects.

This Wednesday afternoon, during questions to the government (QAG) in the Senate, the Prime Minister, was also very cautious.

"We are going to continue with this strategy which is first of all of territorialization", declared Jean Castex, before specifying: "But as much as possible in the face of a particularly strong third wave.

We could be led to harden depending on the evolution of the pandemic.

"

Groups of more than six people fined?

For the moment, Gabriel Attal, the government spokesperson, just indicated, at midday, after the defense council and the council of ministers held at the Elysee Palace, that the Aube, the Nièvre and the Rhône could soon switch to "red zone."

The Minister of the Interior also asked the prefects that outdoor gatherings "unauthorized by more than six people" be fined throughout the country.

It is true that the fire of criticism from the opposition is growing more and more.

"I call on the government to become aware of the magnitude of the tragedy that is looming," impatiently Patrick Kanner.

For Senator PS du Nord, "we are going to live an extremely perilous month of April.

We must quickly take measures similar to those implemented last November and finally speed up vaccination.

"

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Emmanuel Macron: "vaccination will open for over 70s" from March 27

Even sharper arrows from Marine Le Pen.

"The French can not take it any longer, because they have the feeling that the government has not taken the right decisions, neither yesterday, nor the day before, nor today," said the RN candidate at the Elysee Palace.

Even some elected LREM no longer hide their concerns.

“The French need a clear horizon to end the crisis.

Vaccination is our only outcome, ”exclaimed Senator from Mayotte Thani Mohamed Solihi.

Small consolation for the executive, the "elected officials" play constructive opposition.

Valérie Pécresse, the president of Ile-de-France, proposes, for example, to bring the school holidays forward by 15 days in her region.

"We will be keen to apply the recommended measures in a united manner," insists a right-wing elected official.

As long as the message is clear ... ”insists an opposition mayor.