It's a classic.
Every year, many left-wing leaders and personalities meet at the Fête de l'Humanité.
This Saturday, September 11 at La Courneuve (Seine-Saint-Denis), we could see the Greens Julien Bayou, Sandra Regol and Éric Piolle, candidate for the ecological primary, the rebellious parliamentarians Éric Coquerel and Clémentine Autain or the mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo.
On the eve of her declaration of candidacy for the presidential election, the elected Socialist went to visit the Parisian Communists, who are part of the municipal majority.
But one guest stands out in the landscape, it is Gabriel Attal, the spokesperson for the government, who came for a face-to-face meeting with Philippe Martinez, the secretary general of the CGT.
A little before the debate devoted to the social re-entry begins, Richard, 30 years old, slips laughing: "We are going to throw him merguez!"
Her two friends give her both disapproving and amused looks.
"It is not necessarily natural, but we have to confront our ideas, not to remain between convinced," explains Camille.
Unsurprisingly, boos and whistles greet Gabriel Attal, while Philippe Martinez is entitled to heavy applause.
"I am very happy to be here," begins the spokesperson for the government, who is struggling to be heard.
The trade unionist abounds: “It is important that we can have this kind of debate.
"
Gabriel Attal and Philippe Martinez.
Between the two men, the tone is sometimes vehement, but without aggressiveness.
LP / Olivier Corsan
“The question is: what do we do with this wealth?
"
Recovery plan, Ségur health, unemployment insurance, pension reform ... The two men scrapped on social issues. The tone is sometimes vehement, but without aggressiveness. Black jacket on blue shirt, Gabriel Attal praises the government's record when the union official denounces him. “Yes, the economy is doing better. The question is: what do we do with this wealth? »Attacks the cégétiste, who denounces the job cuts in companies that have received public aid. When Gabriel Attal defends the activity bonus and the reduction in social contributions under boos, Philippe Martinez says that the minimum wage must be massively increased.
Another explosive subject: the reform of unemployment insurance, which the boss of the CGT considers "deeply unfair".
“When there is unanimity from the unions that this is not good, listen!
He urges.
Read alsoReform of pensions, unemployment insurance, special schemes ... Macron has not said his last word
On several occasions, the moderators of the debate try to calm a stormy audience.
Philippe Martinez himself intervenes: "I do not hear what he is saying, I cannot answer him", he launches to the assembly.
There is still one point on which they manage to agree, the relaunch of freight.
“Finally a subject on which we agree 100%, well almost!
»Smiles Gabriel Attal.
Asked about pensions, while Emmanuel Macron seemed to close the door on Friday to reform by the end of the five-year term, the minister maintains the vagueness: "I do not confirm anything.
There is no immediate news, no new project presented.
"So Philippe Martinez warns once again:" It is out of the question that we can discuss an extension of the retirement age.
"
"It will not change the opinion of anyone"
"We expected the public to be rather hostile, but the debate is courteous," said a close friend of the government spokesperson.
At the end of the debate, Antoine is almost surprised by the atmosphere in which the exchange took place: "I am pleasantly surprised, I expected that they would not manage to talk to each other at all. .
Rachel believes that everyone has "done their job", but that "it will not change the opinion of anyone."
Both had planned to listen to the other debate on the bill this Saturday, between Valérie Pécresse, president of the Ile-de-France region and candidate for a possible right-wing primary, and the boss of the PCF, Fabien Roussel .
