As usual, Emmanuel Macron will have held the pen until the last minute to refine the frame of his speech.
Locked up on the first floor of the Elysee Palace, in his corner office, before joining in extremis the ground floor of the presidential palace and the village hall to record his televised statement just before 8 p.m.
The choice of words, given the importance of the moment, while the country is suffering the full brunt of this third epidemic wave.
“If we remain united and united, if we know how to organize ourselves, then we will find the end of the tunnel.
I call for the mobilization of everyone for the month of April, ”he planted upon his introduction.
Twenty-four minutes of speech where everyone held their breath to know whether, yes or no, the Head of State was going to put France completely under cover again.
And finally, no.
Faced with the pressure of the oppositions who ordered him to close schools as soon as possible, experts and doctors who recommended to confine hard, as in the spring of 2020, Emmanuel Macron chose another path, "that of pragmatism and adapted measures », Supports those around him as a mantra.
VIDEO. Containment: "Enhanced vigilance extended to the entire metropolitan territory" for one month
In this case, the extension of measures to "brake without locking up" to the whole of France, and no longer to the nineteen departments under high sanitary tension so far, from Saturday evening and for four weeks.
With maintenance of the curfew and teleworking which must be better applied, but a tolerance to circulate during this Easter weekend.
"The education of our children is not negotiable"
Then a hell of a upheaval in the schools: four days of distance learning for everyone next week, then two-week school holidays, until April 26.
Clearly, no spring break spread over three areas as usual.
Parents will have to adapt, especially those who had planned to leave outside these dates.
“But at least we don't sacrifice any kid.
And the virus does not win over youth, ”defends an adviser.
"The education of our children is not negotiable and school is not negotiable," Macron himself insisted on Wednesday evening, assuming his choices and his strategy not to confine as some urged him to do. from the end of January: “These choices have won us precious days of freedom, weeks of learning for our children, we have enabled hundreds of thousands of workers to keep their heads above water without ever losing control. control of the epidemic, ”he boasts, refuting in passing the idea of having taken a bet at the time.
“Believing in the responsibility of the French is never a gamble.
"
“Cold” atmosphere in the Council of Ministers
His speech was nothing improvised.
Last Sunday, Emmanuel Macron had already made the decision to speak on television this Wednesday evening.
“When it intervenes, it is 20 to 30 million French people who watch, slips a relative.
The others are not audible.
He therefore had to speak.
But to say what?
The whole day of Wednesday gave its share of rumors and twists, some even evoking the idea of a strict confinement of six weeks.
"But who enjoys relaying this kind of bullshit!"
“, Annoyed the Head of State in the afternoon.
Same stroke of blood, in full visio of Jean Castex with the ministers a little later: “I am informed that the meeting is live tweet on CNews.
I remind you of your duty to reserve!
"As a result, the Prime Minister was not very precise on the announcements made to members of his government, to avoid leaks ...
Just before, in the Council of Ministers, the atmosphere was also "cold", according to a participant.
"Despite the harshness of the moments and the measures that we will have to take, our words must always be the same: humility, security, responsibility and proportionality", he solemnly enjoins.
Words that he also took this Wednesday evening in his speech.
In particular to present the timetable for an acceleration of the vaccination campaign.
Note that over 60s can be vaccinated from mid-April, over 50s in mid-May.
"By the end of the summer all French people over 18 will be vaccinated," Macron promised, speaking of "April efforts" and "deployment of vaccination" as a "pincer" "Which should help contain the virus and" allow from mid-May to gradually reopen the country. "
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The "end of the tunnel", then? He wants to believe it. Hoping that by then the hospital services in tension hold the shock. In particular thanks to the reinforcements of students, retired doctors and staff of the health reserve that he intends to deploy. But there is still a long way to go. On the political ground, it will even continue this Thursday morning with a debate on the measures announced in Parliament. One more front.
