His word was expected.
Six days after the use of article 49-3 by the government to adopt the pension reform in the National Assembly, the challenge remains lively.
Strikes and blockades continue in many sectors and a new day of mobilization is scheduled for Thursday.
Emmanuel Macron was counting on this television interview at 1 p.m. this Wednesday to ease tensions.
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LIVE - Pension reform: Emmanuel Macron reiterates his confidence in Élisabeth Borne, but calls on her to "enlarge the majority"
This reform "is not a pleasure" but is "necessary"
Emmanuel Macron calls out: "
Don't you think I could have done like those before me by putting dust under the carpet?
Yes
”
.
The Head of State recalls that retirees will be, in the future, more and more numerous:
“We live, and it is a chance more and more later.
Do you think we can continue with the same rules?
There are not 36 solutions.
If we want the system to be balanced, this reform is necessary
.
“Extreme violence”, “it is no longer the Republic”
The president wished to "
clarify
" his remarks made on Tuesday before the parliamentarians of the majority, designating "the crowd" of demonstrators as not having "democratic legitimacy".
In front of journalists, Emmanuel Macron affirmed to "
respect
" the "
unions which have legitimacy
", and "
defend their points of view
" as is "
protected by the Constitution
".
On the other hand, he denounced the “
groups
” which “
use extreme violence to attack elected officials of the Republic
”.
The very people he considers "
no longer the Republic
".
Entry into force of the reform "by the end of the year" 2023
For Emmanuel Macron, the implementation of the reform must take place
"by the end of the year"
.
A necessity so
that “things get back in place, so that 1.8 million of our compatriots can have their pension which is starting to be increased”
, evoking the figure of
“around €600 per year on average”
.
The absence of "compromise" found with the unions deplored
Emmanuel Macron "
regrets
" that "
no union force has proposed a compromise
".
The Head of State is particularly targeting the boss of the CFDT, Laurent Berger, usually inclined to work with the executive.
According to the president, the compromise was on the contrary "
proposed by the government
", through consultations carried out prior to the examination of the text, and then "
made by Parliament
".
Emmanuel Macron wished, despite this observation, to want to restore "
republican order
", calling for "
a path"
and "
that we meet around the table
".
Macron ready to "endorse unpopularity"
“If it is necessary behind to endorse the unpopularity today, I will endorse it”
, assures Emmanuel Macron.
The head of state says
he is "choosing the general interest"
rather than
"polls and the short term"
, when he saw his popularity rating drop to 28% satisfied, in the last Ifop monthly barometer for
Le Sunday newspaper
.
A level at the lowest since the crisis of "yellow vests".
“Remove blockages when they prevent normal activity”
Faced with the blockages in certain sectors which persist, Emmanuel Macron called
"to lift them when they prevent normal activity"
.
"I asked the government to negotiate as much as possible, then to requisition, as we did on household waste and refineries"
, he explained, specifying that the
"organized demonstrations"
are
"legitimate"
.
Immigration law:
“
several texts
”
in
“
the next few weeks
”
While a text on migration issues was due to arrive Tuesday in the Senate Chamber, Emmanuel Macron indicated that it will be necessary to expect a division of the law, with "several texts".
“They will arrive in the next few weeks
,” he warned.
Manner of indicating that consideration of the bill is postponed.
Superprofits: Macron denounces the
“
cynicism
”
of big companies, wants an
“
exceptional contribution
”
“There is still a bit of cynicism at work when you have big companies that make such exceptional income that they end up using this money to buy back their own shares,”
said Emmanuel Macron.
The Head of State thus announced that he was going to ask
"the government to be able to work on an exceptional contribution so that this money, when there are exceptional profits from companies which are ready to buy back their own shares, that their workers can take advantage of it
.
"They must distribute more to their employees and there must be a contribution to this current effort
," he added.
Macron renews his confidence in Borne, which must "build a government program" and "expand" the majority
With the rejection, even a little, of the motion of censure against the government,
"it has been shown that there was no alternative majority"
, commented Emmanuel Macron.
Which therefore renewed its confidence in its Prime Minister.
However, he makes a request: to build
“a legislative program and a government program”
.
This will require
"fewer texts of laws, shorter, clearer texts"
, and a desire to
"enlarge"
the majority
"as much as it can"
, insisted the head of state.
However, by distancing himself from the principle of a
“coalition government”
, defended on Tuesday in Le Figaro by his former prime minister, Edouard Philippe.
"Re-engaging the dialogue with the social partners on professional wear and retraining"
On work, Emmanuel Macron
"wishes that we reengage with the social partners on concrete subjects: professional wear and tear, retraining at the end of the career"
.
“We have started to do things”
, he underlined, but
“these responses are not sufficiently strong and tangible, we must go much further”
, he acknowledged.
The President of the Republic also expressed his desire to work with the social partners on the minima for the branch in certain trades,
"which are below the legal minimum"
.
"Let's go to work to find an answer for these underpaid jobs
," he insisted.