2024 OLYMPIC GAMES MOST DANGEROUS GAMES

ACCORDING TO SOME WORLD MEDIA

While 15 million visitors are expected for this global competition, many foreign observers are more worried. Our American media *Bloomberg* summarizes the tense geopolitical context of the Olympic Games:

"Some 88 Israeli athletes and eight Palestinians are participating in the Games, while the war between Israel and Hamas rages and France is experiencing an alarming increase in anti-Semitic hate crimes. At least one terrorist plot has already been foiled.

More than half of Russian and Belarusian athletes allowed to compete have ties to military agencies or have shown support for the war in Ukraine."
In April 2024, *Politico* was already talking about "Macron's terrorist nightmare at the Olympics" Last January, the Italian weekly *Il Venerdì* headlined "Warning: dangerous games". The Italian daily *La Repubblica* is now worried about a competition which "will take place in the midst of wars, attacks and madness".

The Spanish newspaper *El Pais* points out, for example, sullen Parisians, while some wonder about the cleanliness of the Seine, whose depollution program cost 1.4 billion euros.

“The quality of the water in the Seine is far from impeccable, as the numerous analyzes carried out for these 33rd Olympics have shown,” criticizes the American channel *ABC News*, taken up by *Courrier International*.

More prosaically, the Australian daily *The Age* headlined:

"The Seine that stinks: where the fish go to die and where the excrement protests against the Olympic Games are born", in reference to Internet users who called for defecation in the Seine before Anne Hidalgo bathed in it.

Among the fears shared by the foreign press, security is at the top.

“Security issues are worrying, especially as we are witnessing an increase in attacks by radical Islamists,” judges the American weekly *Time*. With most of the competition taking place in the heart of the capital, journalist Kow Ewe speaks of an "ambitious break with tradition [Editor's note: which wants infrastructures to be located rather outside the cities] […], but also potentially the most dangerous.

The city of Paris has, for the first time in the history of the Olympic Games, prepared an opening ceremony outside a stadium, which constitutes an additional challenge in terms of security.

The American magazine mentions "security problems" which have "increased" in recent months, citing the arrest last May of an 18-year-old young man who planned a jihadist attack targeting the Olympic football events.

The *New York Times* adds that France "has unfortunately become accustomed to terrorist threats and to soldiers patrolling its crowded squares and train stations, their fingers near the triggers of machine guns."

In Germany, the *Zeit online* recalls that "the city of Paris maintained its candidacy, even though it was hit by a wave of Islamist attacks in 2015, the year it applied."

Often in the headlines for terrorist attacks, France has adopted draconian measures: closed airspace, reduced crowd sizes and increased law enforcement. In total, 35,000 police officers and gendarmes and 18,000 French soldiers will be mobilized during the Olympics.

The latter will be supported by foreign agents. “More than 80 countries are helping us, by sending police officers, gendarmes, deminers to make these Olympic Games the most beautiful,” said the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, Monday July 15. To ensure the safety of the public and athletes, 44,000 barriers will be deployed during the road events and the opening ceremony.

*The Times of Israel* daily reports that Israeli athletes have received threats via email, fearing a repeat of the events of Munich 1972, where the Black September terrorist group took Israeli athletes hostage, ultimately killing 11 people and a German policeman.

A journalist points out that the Italian delegation will parade with that of Israel, "one of the most controlled and at-risk nations, also followed during sporting events by Mossad agents."

Despite these apprehensions, the tone of foreign media is less alarmist than a few months ago.
A few days before the start of the competition, fears are fading without disappearing. The most optimistic, like the German daily *Süddeutsche Zeitung*, hope to see a "vast urban celebration capable of affirming national sentiment"...

JOINTS AND SWIMMING IN THE SEINE

ANNE HIDALGO’S DIVE

A few days before the open water swimming events for the Olympic Games, the mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo bathed in the Seine on Wednesday July 17, 2024. The State and Ile-de-France communities have invested 1.4 billion euros since 2016 so that the Seine and its main tributary the Marne are swimmable. With the promise of creating three swimming areas in Paris in 2025.

As city bids for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (OPG) lose popularity due to exorbitant costs and questionable benefits for local residents, the possibility for Parisians to swim in the Seine after the JOP is being highlighted. .

However, this media discourse has sometimes masked certain historical and current realities. Indeed, swimming in the Seine has been practiced over the centuries and persists clandestinely despite prohibitions.

Furthermore, this practice is not only recreational or sporting, but also linked to climate issues, while rising temperatures complicate the achievement of the objectives of the Paris agreement.

An ancient swimming tradition

Swimming in the Seine in 2024 is often presented as a novelty, when in reality it is an ancient practice in Paris.

Traces of ovens exist from the 13th century, although this practice is poorly documented in the absence of significant developments.

Over the centuries, bathing for hygiene, relaxation and leisure continued, gradually extending beyond Paris.

Different authorities have in fact restricted swimming in the Seine since the 18th century without the health issue being the main reason before the 1970s. Swimming was authorized on exemption for medical reasons until 1867, with the idea that it was good to bathe and that it helped cure certain illnesses.

Swimming is also authorized in certain bathing establishments such as the famous Deligny swimming pool located at the foot of the Musée d'Orsay which was filled with unfiltered Seine water, exposing bathers to bacteriological contamination.

In addition, swimming in the river was authorized in Asnières, Gennevilliers, Epinay, i.e. downstream from the place where Paris sewers are discharged in Clichy. If we overlay the map of swimming and sewer discharges in Paris, we see that swimming authorized until 1923 is located downstream of the discharge points of these sewers.

This provides evidence that water quality was not the reason for bathing regulations at the time. After the Second World War, the rise of health issues led the police headquarters to occasionally prohibit swimming in the river but exceptionally authorized sporting events in the Seine. Photos notably show quite a lot of swimming during heat peaks.

LEGISLATIVES CHOOSING A PRIME MINISTER

IN OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

S ince July 7, 2024, the Fifth Republic has experienced an unprecedented situation: no party or coalition can, on election night, claim to exercise power: the New Popular Front has 182 seats, the Ensemble coalition totals 168, the RN and its allies 143, and LR 46. However, in the political practice of the Fifth Republic there exists a majority logic marked by the role of a President of the Republic elected by universal suffrage and usually capable of bringing about the victory of his side during the legislative elections, a mechanism amplified by the constitutional reform of 2000.

An unprecedented situation for Emmanuel Macron.

This is why Emmanuel Macron, through his letter to the French of July 10, 2024, tries to reaffirm his central role, while the elections did not allow him to maintain his majority, already relative, in the Assembly.

No doubt he will lead the usual consultations, he who has already spoken with the President of the Senate, the President of the Assembly not having to be appointed until July 18.

This election of the President of the Assembly should allow the President to learn more about the state of the broad Republican coalition that he is calling for. It will perhaps also allow the Assembly to regain control when the written Constitution is of no help to it and when foreign procedures, which sanction a faded head of state, are unsuitable for French institutions.

These in fact make the president the master of the clocks and the institutional game. Even more so in the face of a divided assembly. This he clearly understood when he stated in his letter of July 10: “It is in the light of these principles that I will decide on the appointment of the Prime Minister.”

But how does the formation of a government take place in other European countries when no clear majority emerges in the Assembly? Which is very common in many countries.

The German consensus model

In Germany, the voting method makes it almost impossible to obtain an absolute majority. This promotes a culture of compromise and political alliances going beyond simple left-right divisions, as in 2005 with the “grand coalition” bringing together the CDU (right), the SPD (center-left) and the FDP (liberals), or in 2013 with the CDU-SPD coalition, renewed in 2017.

After the elections, the parties of the new majority negotiate a coalition contract, committing each to support the texts translating this programmatic agreement. Thus, in 2017, negotiations lasted 171 days, compared to 3 months in 2013 and 2 months in 2021 for a government led this time by the SPD with the Greens and the FDP as allies.

These agreements, although extra-constitutional, are essential to the functioning of the institutions. Article 63 of the Constitution stipulates that the Federal President proposes a candidate for chancellor to the Bundestag, which must elect him by an absolute majority. In case of failure, a period of 14 days opens, after which, if no candidate obtains this majority, the president can appoint a minority chancellor or dissolve the Bundestag to clarify the majority through new elections.

Thus, the parties must agree in advance to present a candidate capable of gathering an absolute majority of deputies, otherwise they risk dissolution. The president, respecting the unwritten rules of the parliamentary system, is still waiting for this proposal.

The French Constitution is more succinct: “The President of the Republic appoints the Prime Minister. » By entrusting the appointment of the head of government exclusively to the president, the Constitution strengthens his powers beyond the simple role of arbiter provided for by other Constitutions, which seek to limit his prerogatives.

In Poland, the president recently failed to impose his will on the Assembly.

The Polish Constitution establishes a strict procedure with deadlines imposed on the president. According to article 54, the latter must appoint a head of government within 14 days following the election of the new Diet or the resignation of the previous government. However, the appointed government must obtain the confidence of the Diet within the next 14 days to be able to govern.

The implicit rules require that the president consult the Assembly in order to choose a head of government likely to receive the approval of the Diet. If the candidate proposed by the president is rejected, the Assembly may, within the same period of 14 days, elect its own candidate.

This election requires an absolute majority, with the presence of at least half of the deputies to validate the vote. In the event of another failure, the president takes the initiative again, but without being able to impose his candidate, because the Diet can still refuse to grant him its confidence.

In such a situation, the president can, as in Germany, dissolve the Assembly. The Polish Constitution, recognizing that the voting method does not always guarantee a clear majority, offers several solutions. The president must therefore consult the presidents of the Chambers and the heads of parliamentary groups to designate a head of government acceptable to the majority. If the president makes a mistake in his choice, the Constitution allows the Diet to reject the proposed government and nominate its own candidate.

This is what happened in 2023. Conservative President Andrzej Duda appointed the leader of PiS, the largest group in the Diet, but which was not supported by the victorious coalition. The Diet then refused to trust him and elected Donald Tusk. The president was unable to oppose the latter's nomination, despite political differences.

In France, although the Constitution provides mechanisms for the government to seek the confidence of the Assembly, it does not authorize the latter to impose its choice on the president, who remains the only one able to appoint the Prime Minister. Unlike other systems, France does not have the constructive motion of censure, which would allow the Assembly to impose its own head of government in the event of the overthrow of the existing executive. The Polish Constitution also includes deadlines binding on the president.

Parliamentary monarchies

In Sweden, on the contrary, the power to appoint the head of government is conferred on the Assembly (Riksdag). The Swedish Constitution assigns this responsibility to the Speaker of the Riksdag, who must consult the parliamentary groups and the deputy speakers of the Assembly before proposing a candidate for prime minister. This candidate is then appointed if he does not receive a negative vote from half of the deputies. Therefore, the head of state, who is hereditary, has no role in the procedure for appointing the head of government.

Other examples also show the limitation of the powers of the head of a monarchical state in the appointment of the prime minister. In Belgium, for example, the process can last more than a year, as after the 2010 elections when it took 541 days to form a government. After elections, often without a clear majority, the king appoints an informant responsible for sounding the Chamber to identify the parties capable of forming a coalition. Political parties must then compose a majority capable of supporting a government, or at least not dismissing it. This led to a political crisis in Belgium from 2010 to 2011, where it was impossible to form a government, forcing the outgoing executive to manage day-to-day affairs. A similar situation occurred in Northern Ireland between 2017 and 2018.

Towards a technical government like in Italy in times of crisis ?

In Italy in periods of crisis, the Italian head of state, President of the Republic, exercises a specific role, namely a remarkable power of initiative whereas in "normal" times his function as guarantor translates into a relatively erased profile.

During periods of political crisis to form a government in Italy, the President of the Republic conducts in-depth consultations with all parliamentary groups. Each party can then express its preferences for the appointment of a head of government. Once these consultations have been completed and after having taken into account the opinions of all political groups, including the smallest, the President of the Republic tasks a person with forming a government. This personality receives an exploratory mandate to assess the possibility of forming a government team and obtain the necessary support from Parliament. If the conditions are met, this person then presents the new executive to the chambers to obtain a vote of confidence.

The concept of technical government emerged in 1993 with Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, former governor of the Bank of Italy, at the helm of the executive branch. This model was reused in 1995 with Lamberto Dini, former general director of the Bank of Italy, then in 2011 with Mario Monti, and finally in 2021 with Mario Draghi.

Technical governments in Italy are often a response to political blockages, particularly when there is no parliamentary majority capable of supporting a partisan coalition. In these crisis situations, a head of government – ​​the president of the Council of Ministers in Italy – is appointed to form a cabinet supported by a majority, or even by all political forces, in a spirit of national unity.
These technical governments are seen as transitional periods which ensure institutional continuity and prepare the return to a political cycle based on elections.

Their composition is generally mixed, including technical ministers – recognized experts in their fields, without previous political experience – and figures with political careers without strong partisan affiliation.
The agenda of these technical governments focuses on two aspects: economic and financial stabilization to maintain the country's position on the international scene, and the implementation of reforms difficult to pass within a framework of partisan majorities.

The question of whether Italian compromise is possible in France arises.

The conditions of political crisis and the impossibility of finding a majority could lead to this, the President of the Republic finding himself, after July 7, in a posture of cohabitation, that is to say in the obligation to leave a government and its leader the margin of power provided for by the Constitution in the conduct of policy...

WHAT LESSONS CAN BE LEARNED FROM THE RESULTS

LEGISLATIVES IN FRANCE ?

France Insoumise stagnates, while the Socialist Party progresses

The results reveal the existence of three blocs of similar size. Emmanuel Macron dissolved the Assembly to obtain clarification, but the opposite happened. The left managed to unite quickly, while Emmanuel Macron's formation is holding on with difficulty, collapsing compared to 2017. The Republican right is resisting despite a difficult context. This is the paradox of this dissolution: Emmanuel Macron thought that the left was going to implode, but it was ultimately the right which fragmented between the former centrists allied with Emmanuel Macron, the Republicans rallied like Gérald Darmanin and Bruno Le Maire , those who followed Éric Ciotti in the alliance with the RN, and the Republicans stricto sensu.

This distribution of forces shows a polarization of the political landscape into three blocks almost equivalent in size. Emmanuel Macron's attempt to clarify political lines ultimately resulted in an even more complex situation, with a unified left, a weakened presidential majority compared to 2017, and a Republican right divided into several factions.

“The Republican front has completely reversed the scenario of this election. » Within the New Popular Front (NFP), which received 25.7% of the votes, La France insoumise (LFI) remains the main party in the coalition, but stagnates around 75 deputies. On the other hand, the Socialist Party (PS) almost doubled its membership with 59 seats, compared to 28 for the Ecologists and 9 for the French Communist Party (PCF).

Despite the uncertainties, the “republican front” succeeded in preventing the far right from progressing. Voters of the New Popular Front voted overwhelmingly against the National Rally (RN): 70% of NFP voters in the first round supported the candidate Les Républicains (LR) in the event of a duel with the RN, and 79% chose the candidate Together.

However, the transfer of votes varied depending on partisan affiliation during duels with the RN: voters in the presidential camp voted 54% for a candidate from the PS, EELV or PCF, but only 43% for a candidate. LFI candidate against the RN.

The RN changes dimension and becomes a credible alternative

In the second round, the RN and its allies, however, remain the leading force in terms of votes (37%, or 10 million votes), even if they only obtained " » 104 deputies, to which are added the 39 elected in the first round. Marine Le Pen denounced this gap between votes and seats as a “violated popular will”. Nevertheless, Jordan Bardella's party is the only political force to make significant progress in the National Assembly, going from 88 to nearly 150 deputies, a historic score which alleviates the bitterness of their defeat.

In addition, the RN now appears to be a real alternative. The entire period between the two rounds focused on this party and the question of the Republican front, without which the RN would probably have obtained a strong relative majority, or even a short absolute majority.

Although the RN comes in third position, it is nevertheless the leading party in the National Assembly behind two coalitions bringing together several parties. It is a first in the history of the Fifth Republic that such an important group finds itself in the opposition. This will have repercussions on the functioning of the National Assembly, influencing speaking time, questions to the government, the composition of committees, and the agenda . The RN has established itself over the long term in the parliamentary landscape.

The National Rally (RN) has radically changed in stature. It has become a catch-all party, similar to what En Marche represented in 2017. From now on, the RN appears to be a real political alternative. The entire period between the two rounds focused on this party and on the question of the Republican front, without which the RN would probably have obtained a strong relative majority, or even a narrow absolute majority.

The formation of a government therefore promises to be complex.
Forming a government in this context proves difficult. Disagreements remain within the New Popular Front. How can we envisage a coalition going from La France insoumise to the center-right?

From a constitutional point of view, it is up to Emmanuel Macron to choose a Prime Minister taking into account the results of the election. Jean-Luc Mélenchon affirms that the head of state has no other choice than to dismiss Gabriel Attal and appeal to the New Popular Front to govern, by appointing a head of government from this coalition. Marine Tondelier and Olivier Faure share this position.

A coalition with variable geometry

Jean-Luc Mélenchon insists on the fact that the New Popular Front must govern. At the same time, Raphaël Glucksmann seems more inclined to recognize the complexity posed by the relative majority and to envisage a coalition including the central bloc. “We are in the lead, but we are in a divided Assembly,” he declared, calling on political leaders, with the exception of the RN, to “behave like adults”.

This divergence within the left bloc itself shows the difficulty for Emmanuel Macron to build something solid, especially when the simple mention of La France insoumise (the most important group of the NFP) provokes strong reactions within his own camp. . The key question is this: could a coalition integrating the entire left, including LFI, resist a motion of censure? This is unlikely, given that macronie has often pitted the “extremes” against each other.

A scenario where Macron attempts to divide the NFP by ignoring the rebels seems unlikely, given the loyalty to the common program expressed by socialists and environmentalists. Another solution for Macron would be to turn to the central bloc, reinforced by LR elected officials, of whom there are around sixty. Numerically, a relative majority could emerge, but this scenario poses several problems.

First, right-wing elected officials presented themselves as opponents of Macron, and some of them, like Olivier Marleix or Laurent Wauquiez, harbor a tenacious aversion towards the president. Secondly, this choice would ignore the voters' verdict, since among the three main blocs, it was the left which came first. Finally, such a coalition would not resolve the problem of the relative majority, returning to the initial situation.

A coalition beyond the blocs ?

To avoid the blockage and respect the message of the ballot boxes, it will be necessary to find a coalition solution beyond the existing blocs. Jean-Philippe Derosier, constitutionalist, believes that a unifying figure must lead this coalition, because no clear majority emerges.

Emmanuel Macron, patient, is waiting for the new National Assembly to be structured to make the necessary decisions. “In accordance with republican tradition, he will wait for the structuring of the new National Assembly to take the necessary decisions,” announced the Élysée after the results, specifying that the head of state “will ensure respect for the sovereign choice of the French” . Gabriel Attal, who has resigned, remains ready to manage current affairs for as long as necessary.

The results show the existence of three blocks of similar size. Macron hoped to clarify political lines by dissolving the Assembly, but achieved the opposite result. The left has quickly unified, while the presidential majority has weakened compared to 2017, and the Republican right is resisting despite the difficulties. The dissolution, designed to weaken the left, ultimately fragmented the right into several factions, further complicating governance.

In short, these results show a polarization of the political landscape into three almost equal blocks. Emmanuel Macron's attempt to clarify the situation resulted in an even more complex configuration...

Will power pass from the Élysée to Matignon ?

Power seems about to shift from the Élysée to Matignon, especially through the Palais Bourbon and without forgetting the Luxembourg Palace, where the Republican right holds the majority in the Senate.

Emmanuel Macron no longer has all the cards in hand to govern. He will have to deal more with parliament and other political parties.

MACRON RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RISE

OF THE NATIONAL GATHERING

Today's political crisis is not without precedent. Crises are inherent to contemporary French political life, marked by a culture of conflict and radicalism since the French Revolution. Institutional instability characterized France between 1815 and 1958 with two monarchies, an Empire, an authoritarian regime and four Republics.

The Fifth Republic itself emerged in 1958 in a context of deep crisis, particularly due to the Algerian War, and faced significant crises in its first years: attempted assassination of the president, dissolution of the National Assembly in 1962, and the movement of May 68. Despite everything, the institutions resisted these crises, political alternations and cohabitation, creating the illusion of political stability which has been called into question for around ten years. years.

The RN vote

The success of the RN results from progression over 40 years, structured in three major phases:

1. Phase of rapid progression (1984-1988): The FN burst onto the electoral scene in 1984 with 10% of the votes in the European elections and Jean-Marie Le Pen obtained 14.5% in the 1988 presidential election.

2. Establishment phase (1988-mid-2000s): The FN maintains around 15% of the votes, wins symbolic victories (municipal victories in 1995, second round of the 2002 presidential election), and constitutes a network of executives and local elected officials, transforming itself into a “normal” party.

3. Normalization phase (from 2011): After stagnation at the end of the 2000s, the RN resumed its progression, accelerating from 2017 to heights rarely equaled in French electoral history.

The main driving force behind the recent progress of the RN is its ability to propose a political offer perceived as new and to benefit from a “clearance” reflex, similar to that which Emmanuel Macron benefited from.

The RN has long addressed a popular electorate neglected by other parties, notably the left, and offers apparently simple answers to requests for protection in terms of security, social issues and living conditions.:

Macron and the rise of the RN

Emmanuel Macron will remain as the president who potentially brought the National Rally to power.
This is both a paradox and a failure of his presidency. Emmanuel Macron, who presented himself in 2017 as the best bulwark against the RN, contributed to its progress and its takeover. By seeking to recompose political life around two poles - conservative nationalists and progressives - he made the RN the main opposition force. Since the 2022 legislative elections, by giving the impression that La France insoumise constitutes the main threat to the republican order, the presidential majority has contributed to trivializing the RN. The dissolution of the National Assembly, when the RN was at its peak, was a gift to its opponent.

The mobilization of the left against the far right is part of an anti-fascist tradition, symbolized by peaceful demonstrations like those of the Popular Front. The far right, meanwhile, has abandoned street activism since the 1980s, focusing on an electoral strategy. The RN, under Marine Le Pen, has further reduced its use of street demonstrations, preferring to capture the protest potential of movements like that of the “yellow vests” to destabilize the power in place.

The Relevance of the Republican Front ?

The notion of a "republican front" no longer commands consensus, although it retains meaning for part of the electorate and politicians. The weakening of the notion of "republican front" is in fact linked to two main factors. First, the strategy of trivializing the RN has paid off, just as much as the promotion of Jordan Bardella whose surname and background arouse less concern than those of Marine Le Pen, associated with the figure of her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, and his divisive positions.

The success of the RN's strategy of trivialization therefore and the discourse of the outgoing majority on the two extremes make a broad regrouping against the RN difficult. In December 2023, for the first time, a majority of French people no longer see the RN as a threat to democracy.

Despite progress compared to the 2017 elections and the 2022 Nupes, the NFP has not succeeded in positioning itself as a real challenger against the RN for several reasons: the role of bulwark against the RN contested by the presidential majority, the internal differences on international and economic issues, and the absence of a leader to embody the coalition.

The dynamics of bringing together the left came up against strong differences which crystallized both on the question of anti-Semitism, omnipresent during this campaign, and on the personality of Jean-Luc Mélenchon. Furthermore, this coalition does not have a leader to embody and carry it unlike the RN with the young Jordan Bardella.

LEGISLATIVE CHALLENGES IN FRANCE

The National Assembly is made up of 577 seats. The deputies' mission is to propose, amend and vote on laws. During the first round of elections, scheduled for June 30, French voters will choose among the candidates in their constituency.

If a candidate obtains an absolute majority (more than 50% of the votes with at least 25% of registered voters), he is automatically elected. The abstention rate therefore plays a crucial role, unlike the presidential election.

If no candidate reaches an absolute majority in the first round, a second round will take place on July 7, 2024.

Any candidate having obtained more than 12.5% ​​of the votes can participate in the second round. Whoever obtains the most votes in the second round wins a seat in the National Assembly.

Around 125,000 inhabitants per constituency

The number of deputies sitting in the Assembly is determined by the electoral division. France is divided into 577 constituencies (539 in mainland France, 27 overseas, and 11 for French people living abroad), and a deputy is elected by direct universal suffrage in each of them.

Each constituency represents around 125,000 inhabitants, with a margin of plus or minus 20%. Each department must have at least one constituency, as is the case for Lozère, despite its population of only 76,633 inhabitants according to the latest INSEE census. The more populated departments, such as Paris and the North, have 18 and 21 constituencies respectively.

The constituencies are redistributed regularly by the Ministry of the Interior to follow demographic developments. The last redistribution dates from 2010, launched in 2008 under the five-year term of Nicolas Sarkozy and the Fillon government. On this occasion, the number of inhabitants per constituency increased from 108,000 to 125,000 and the obligation to elect two deputies per department was repealed.

The electoral redistributions, often criticized for favoring the political camp in power, were contested in 2010 by the left-wing opposition. However, the Constitutional Council validated the modifications, affirming that they respected “the principle of equality before the vote”.

The French governance system

The French system of governance, unique in its kind, is a hybrid regime comprising a president elected directly by the people, thus giving him great legitimacy, and a powerful Parliament. The Fifth Republic, established by the 1958 Constitution, was born to limit the power of the National Assembly after the instability of the Fourth Republic. In 1962, a referendum allowed the election of the president by universal suffrage, thus strengthening the presidential character of the system. The Constitution grants the president specific powers, such as dissolving Parliament or calling referendums.

At least 289 seats for an absolute majority in the National Assembly

In the context of the next legislative elections, the objective of each party is to obtain at least 289 seats to achieve an absolute majority in the National Assembly. If a party only obtains a relative majority, as is currently the case for Macron's party with 230 seats, it must form alliances to govern.

The president must then appoint a prime minister from the majority coalition, who will choose his ministers, a situation known as "cohabitation". If no majority or coalition emerges, it could paralyze the government, an unprecedented situation in France.

New elections could not be organized for a year, and although Macron's resignation is a hypothesis, he has ruled it out for the moment.

During periods of cohabitation, the French president must adopt a more discreet role, similar to that of heads of state in other parliamentary systems, while retaining certain powers, particularly in matters of defense and foreign policy. It is the majority party in the National Assembly which mainly controls domestic policy. In the event of disagreement with a law, the president can refer the matter to the Constitutional Council or request a second reading from the National Assembly.

But if the Constitutional Council declares itself incompetent or if the deputies vote for the law a second time, the head of state must then sign it.

HARO ON THE PROGRAM

OF THE NEW POPULAR FRONT

What should we remember from the costing of the economic program of the New Popular Front?

“A very clear direction to move towards more State intervention in the economy” for Olivier Redoulès, economist and director of the Rexecode economic institute.

Two main lines to remember: “tax households more to redistribute more” and “regulate more, but help more”.

But what a lack of precision in the financing of such an unrealistic program !

FRANCE "DIRTY JEW"

BARBARIC AND ANTI-SEMITE RAPE OF 

A 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL

"Who could have believed that the methods used by Hamas on October 7 would end up being practiced in France – and by young people of 12 and 13 years old?”, asks Céline Pina in a column.

“This little 12-year-old girl could be my daughter, or yours, or your granddaughter. Her life was crushed by minors fueled with anti-Semitic hatred. The justice system will set in motion and find excuses for the inexcusable . But who is going to repair the broken life of this young girl who comes to cry crocodile tears, I don't care! Tonight, I'm a mother, I'm a French citizen who says. to this little girl: “Forgive us for not having been able to protect you from the madness of men”

After the drama, the emotion. Several days after the gang rape of which a 12-year-old Jewish child was the victim in Courbevoie (Hauts-de-Seine), the investigation is progressing. Three young people – all minors – were arrested by the police. Two of them are being indicted for gang rape, death threats, insults and anti-Semitic violence. The latter, aged 13, were placed under a committal warrant by a liberty and detention judge. The third, aged only 12, will be the subject of a provisional judicial educational measure.

The events took place last Saturday June 15. The little girl was then with a friend, in a park which was not far from her home. At the end of the day, the two oldest minors took the little girl to an abandoned building. It is here that the third suspect, aged 12, allegedly joined the two other attackers.

The chilling facts

As soon as she enters, she is bombarded with questions about her religion and the fact that she is hiding that she is Jewish. She claims to have been called a “dirty Jew” on several occasions.

In her complaint, she indicates that she was kicked, slapped and had her hair pulled. One of the three teenagers threatens to burn her.

She claims to have then been raped several times by two of the three teenagers. The facts were denounced by the young girl on Saturday evening. According to a police source, the minor explained that she was approached by three teenagers and dragged into a shed while she was in a park near her home with a friend. The suspects hit her and “forced anal and vaginal penetration on her, fellatio, while making death threats and anti-Semitic remarks,” said the same source. Her friend managed to identify two of the attackers. They also asked her to give them 200 euros or they would attack her and her family.

According to the victim's initial statements, one of the attackers filmed the scene, which took place in an abandoned premises. Another teenager threatened to kill her and burn her if she reported the facts to the police.

According to the police intervention report that Le Parisien was able to consult, one of the attackers added that on Sunday at 4 p.m., he "would return to the same place" and that the victim had to give him the sum of 200 euros. otherwise bad luck would happen to him and his family if he knows where she lives.”

One of the attackers was known to the victim: he was a former boyfriend with whom the girl had had a relationship which had ended just a few days before the attack. To the investigators, the person concerned claimed to have become angry over the fact that the young girl had not told him that she was of the Jewish faith. The suspects were identified by the victim's friend: two of the three suspects played in the same football club as him. The police also have anti-Semitic images on the suspect's phone (notably a photo showing a burned Israeli flag). The second suspect explained that the victim had made negative comments about Palestine. But we don't know more about their origin...

Reactions

“Sordid”, “abject”: in the middle of the electoral campaign, this affair arouses strong condemnation from politicians.

The SOS Racisme association provided “all its support to the victim and his family” in this “sordid affair”, recalling the “worrying” increase in anti-Semitic acts since October 7. Wednesday morning, the Nous Vivrons collective, born the day after the bloody Hamas attack, called for demonstrations that same day at 6:30 p.m. in Paris. “This anti-Semitic rape is a continuation of a climate hostile to Jews, fueled in particular by irresponsible political declarations, aimed at fanning the embers and fueling hatred of Jews for several months,” accused the collective.

Spike in anti-Semitic acts

In the Jewish community, the facts denounced by the young girl caused great emotion. The president of the Central Consistory, Elie Korchia, expressed on “No one can be exonerated in the face of this unprecedented anti-Semitic surge,” the chief rabbi of France Haïm Korsia commented on X, saying he was “horrified.” On the same social network, the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France (Crif) expressed its "immense emotion at the tragic rape of this young girl", warning that it will follow "with vigilance all developments in this extremely worrying affair" .

"Rape is a tool of destruction in the service of hatred and when children rape children, it is also society as a whole which must ask itself the question of its responsibility in the face of violence, anti-Semitism and misogyny in work in our country", reacted the Women's Foundation. “It’s a despicable act, we can’t think that it still exists,” Jacques Kossowski, LR mayor of Courbevoie, told AFP. “What I hope is that justice can firmly condemn these attackers, whatever their age,” continued the councilor.

Anti-Semitic acts soared in France in the first quarter of 2024, according to government figures, which reported “366 anti-Semitic acts” recorded between January and March, an increase of 300% compared to the first three months of 2023. In January, Crif reported a sharp increase in anti-Semitic acts in France, which quadrupled in one year, going from 436 in 2022 to 1,676 in 2023, with an “explosion” after October 7.

The director of Atlantico, Jean-Sébastien Ferjou, returning to the rape of a 12-year-old girl in Courbevoie, specified: "There is an over-representation of young people of North African origin in anti-Semitic attacks in Europe." A study conducted by the Institute for the Study of Global Anti-Semitism and Policy (ISGAP) in 2015 indicates that around 30% of perpetrators of anti-Semitic acts in France are identified as being of Muslim religion or of Arab origin. , although Muslims represent only 6-8% of the total population. We do not know the identity of the three minors involved.

The role of LFI in the explosion of anti-Semitism.

“LFI’s extremely violent speech on the conflict in Gaza has very worrying deleterious effects on our soil.”

FRANCE THE CHALLENGES OF DISSOLUTION

OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

The European elections have transformed into a referendum against Macron, thus becoming a tool of opposition to the current government and an electoral springboard for the competing political forces. This nationalization of the vote was particularly evident during the recent televised debates (Bardella-Attal, Le Pen-Macron debate proposal), recalling the presidential election of 2022 and perhaps offering a foretaste of that of 2027

. President of the Republic justified his decision to dissolve the National Assembly and send voters to the polls by invoking the need for “clarity in the debates”. The political situation was complex for him, with a minority government despite the institutional advantages of the constitution, such as article 49.3, and growing rumors of motions of no confidence. The multiplication of parliamentary groups in the Assembly, now ten in number, also made it difficult to obtain stable majorities to vote on certain pieces of legislation. In addition, the result of these European elections, often perceived as a “mid-term vote”, added to the pressure.

This dissolution reflects Macron's penchant for disruptive decisions and constitutes a strong political act, giving voters a voice again, particularly for the legislative elections, where the National Assembly plays a central role as national representation.

The main issues for the National Assembly concern the sustainability of the political fragmentation observed since June 2022, with its ten parliamentary groups, and its impact on the organization of parliamentary work.

For political parties, several issues are emerging:

For the RN: A secret poll commissioned by the Republicans in December 2023 placed the RN in a majority position in the event of early legislative elections. The real issue is whether the RN will succeed in gaining power by obtaining a real majority in the National Assembly, necessary to obtain the confidence of the government. The exceptional result of the RN in the European elections - 16 points ahead of the current majority - is a real springboard for these early elections.

On the left: These elections will determine the new balance of power within the Nupes, with a social democratic left reinforced by the third positioning of the PS-PP list in the European elections, the debacle of the ecologists and the new weight of LFI. Discussions for a common list have already been discussed.

For Renaissance: Faced with questions about the post-Macron era from his re-election in 2022, Renaissance will have to define its political positioning and consider electoral alliances with the Republicans at the local level. Stéphane Séjourné, SG of Renaissance, has already announced that the majority would not present a candidate against outgoing deputies “part of the Republican field”. The presidential party went from a large majority in 2017 to a relative majority in 2022, risking now a move to the opposition.

The decision to dissolve the Assembly can be seen as an admission of weakness in the face of the threat of censorship.
The 2024 European elections have indeed marked a return of the left-right divide and a pro- or anti-EU divide, but it is the rise to power of the RN which will influence the positioning of the majority. A more liberal and conservative turn could be adopted, in particular to attract LR deputies, due to the realignment towards the right of macronism.

Cohabitation with the RN is possible and would reshuffle the cards between the president and his prime minister.

TIDAL RISE OF THE EXTREME RIGHT IN EUROPE

IN FRANCE MACRON PLAYS WITH FIRE

WITH THE DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSEMBLY

Depending on the country, it can vary in its forms, but everywhere it is nourished by a main cause: the concern that uncontrolled immigration poses to the balance of our societies, the threat that political Islam poses to the future of our civilization. This is what Europeans teach us,” according to Alexis Brézet in Le Figaro.

And France is on the podium!

Frontist tidal wave in France in effect this Sunday, June 9 at the end of the European election. By gathering 31.4% of the votes cast, Jordan Bardella's list is almost 17 points ahead of that of the presidential majority led by Valérie Hayer, who came second with 14.6%.

A generalization of the RN vote

For his second European campaign, the rising star of the nationalist right thus succeeded in considerably expanding the electorate of the party of which he took the reins in September 2021. While for nearly three decades, the frontist vote was concentrated in the In the north and south of France, few territories are today resisting the breakthrough of the RN. Proof of this is that in Sunday's European elections, the list led by the young wolf of Marine Le Pen exceeds 30% of the votes cast in more than sixty French departments...

In the north-east of France, where the RN flirts with the symbolic threshold of 50%. In Haute-Marne for example, more than 47% of voters who went to the polling station placed their trust in the RN. In Aisne, where the poverty rate exceeds the national average by three points, the percentage even climbs to 50.6%. Voters from Gard, Vaucluse, Var and even Corse-du-Sud also largely supported Jordan Bardella.

The big winner of this European election, the National Rally, for example, incontestably validates its roots in Gironde. And not just a little: the list led by Jordan Bardella came first in 522 Gironde municipalities, or 97.6% of the municipalities in the department.

In the Médoc, a political stronghold of the extreme right on which the Lepéniste party relies to launch its attempt to conquer power in Gironde, the RN almost achieved an absolute majority in Lesparre (49.8%) and Pauillac (48. 05%) for the main cities.

Another strong territory for the RN, Blayais, with significant scores in Blaye (37.31%), Saint-André-de-Cubzac (39.34%) and Saint-Savin, the stronghold of MP Edwige Diaz where he reached 53.57%. Note a real hit in Braud-et-Saint-Louis, the town hosting the Blayais nuclear power plant, where the RN reached 60.8% of the vote and where Reconquête stood at 6.5%.

In only five departments does the far-right party not come out on top: in Paris (75), in Seine-Saint-Denis (93), in Hauts-de-Seine (92), in Val-de- Marne (94) and Martinique. In the capital, voters placed Raphaël Glucksmann in the lead (22.86%), followed by Valérie Hayer (17.72%) and Manon Aubry (16.76%).

32%: this is the percentage of votes collected by Jordan Bardella's list in the European ballot. For her part, Marion Maréchal and her Reconquest list reached 5.3% of the votes. With the Les Patriotes list, the far right totals nearly 40% of the votes in France in this European election on June 9, 2024. A historic score.

An electoral slap for Renaissance which led Emmanuel Macron, soundly defeated - despite his involvement in the campaign - to dissolve the National Assembly. "Earthquake", "thunderclap", a "crazy" or "extreme" bet... The French press is competing with superlatives this Monday, June 10, 2024 the day after the large victory of the far right in the European elections and this response from Emmanuel Macron to dissolve the National Assembly.

Dissolution a high-risk strategy

This is certainly the sixth time in the history of the Fifth Republic that the weapon of dissolution, provided for by Article 12 of the Constitution, has been drawn by the president. But this sword, which allows a political crisis to be resolved by a return to the polls, is double-edged.

If Emmanuel Macron respects the spirit of article 12, "which provides for dissolution in the event of a political event or crisis", "Macron is however playing with fire". “A real leap into the void for a president exasperated by the disenchantment of the French. A sin of pride,” even comments Christophe Jakubyszyn, columnist in Les Echos.

Emmanuel Macron makes the French judges of a new and unprecedented political situation, with a National Rally led by Jordan Bardella which obtained more than double the votes of the presidential majority. This is a new and exceptional political situation. Let him not see the arrival of the RN in government as a lesser evil!

That he does not privately believe that his arrival in power would have the merit of demonstrating the unpreparedness of the extreme right to power. On the contrary, the French have not only expressed in their choice a sanction vote but a real desire for policy change and an assumed choice.

These French people feel dispossessed of their identity, of their purchasing power, of their ability to influence decision-making mechanisms. They also testify to a feeling of loss of influence of France, which no longer has its splendor of yesteryear.

Poll result: between 243 and 305 seats for the RN

At the end of 2023, the Les Républicains party commissioned a survey from the Ipsos institute on the voting intentions of the French if legislative elections took place very soon.

Unveiled in March 2024 by L'Obs, the results showed that a real shift had taken place in France and that the National Rally still had (large) room for progress at the Palais Bourbon. At the same time, the poll resulted in a massive disavowal for the Macronist camp. If its conclusions applied on June 30 and July 7, 2024, the date of the next legislative elections, the balance would therefore be even more upset than in 2022.

According to this survey on very hypothetical legislative elections at the time it was revealed, the National Assembly could thus lean greatly to the extreme right, or even pass into an RN majority.

According to the answers obtained by Ipsos, between 243 and 305 seats could be won by the formation of Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella. The absolute majority being at 289, the party with the flame would therefore not be far from having control over the legislative power and, therefore, from seeing one of its members be appointed Prime Minister and others be appointed within the government .

The National Rally may find itself with an absolute majority on the evening of July 7. President Emmanuel Macron will then have to appoint a Prime Minister or a Prime Minister from the political party that won and it will be cohabitation.

Thus the RN could acquire in Matignon what it lacks: a culture of government. They will have the means to prove themselves.

WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH THE RIOTS

IN NEW CALEDONIA ?

Peaceful demonstrations had taken place across the country in recent weeks, as the National Assembly's vote on the constitutional reform project which provides for the expansion of the electoral body specific to the provincial vote approached. On Monday evening, the crisis quickly intensified, taking local authorities by surprise.

To understand how this situation could degenerate so quickly, it is important to expose the complex political and socio-economic issues that are current in this region.

The political crisis

The political crisis first finds its source in a government bill providing for a constitutional amendment which extends the right to vote to French people who have lived on the island for ten years.

Since the Nouméa Agreement of May 5, 1998, only people holding New Caledonian citizenship according to specific criteria can participate in provincial elections and referendums. For example, it is necessary to have lived in New Caledonia between 1988 and 1998 or to be the child of a parent meeting this condition to enter the electorate.

This agreement aimed to “rebalance” political inequalities so that the interests of the indigenous Kanaks and the descendants of French settlers were equally recognized. It helped consolidate peace between these groups after a long period of conflict in the 1980s, known locally as "the events". At the turn of the 1980s, the idea of ​​building a history together, a “community of destiny” and “a Kanak awakening” was discussed, as David Chappell writes.

The constitutional reform voted by the National Assembly on May 15 plans to lift this restriction by opening the right to vote to residents present in the archipelago for at least ten years. According to a Senate report, this revision would increase the composition of the electoral body by 14.5%, by adding 12,441 natives of New Caledonia and 13,400 French citizens.

The changes announced by Paris have therefore sown discord because they cancel provisions of the 1998 Nouméa Accord, in particular the restriction of voting rights.

These rules guarantee adequate representation of the Kanaks, the indigenous people, who represent 41% of the New Caledonian population, according to the Institute of Statistics of New Caledonia. As a result, approximately one in five citizens is now excluded from the electoral process. A share increased from 7.46% of the population in 1999 to 19.28% in 2023, underlines the Senate.

The separatists, however, fear that this revision will weaken the Kanak people. “No people want to be a minority in their country,” warns Rosine Streeter, herself a Kanak and creator of the Libre Unité Action union. “If the electorate is expanded, the separatists will lose control of the provinces [which they lead in the North and in the islands], or no longer be represented in the Southern province,” she fears.

Loyalists and separatists oppose each other

Currently two groups are opposed on this subject: the loyalists and the separatists A loyalist group (the term is used to designate the New Caledonian anti-independenceists, the “loyalists to French republican institutions”) of elected representatives in the Parliament of New Caledonian Caledonia rejects the contemporary meaning of “rebalancing” with regard to the electoral status of the Kanaks. According to them, after three referendums on the question of the independence of New Caledonia, organized between 2018 and 2021, which all resulted in a majority negative vote, the time for electoral reform is well past.

This position is clearly expressed by MP Nicolas Metzdorf. A leading loyalist, he defined the constitutional revision adopted by the National Assembly as “a vote for democracy and universalism”.

This point of view is rejected by Kanak independence leaders, who believe that these amendments undermine the political status of indigenous Kanaks, who constitute a minority of the voting population. These leaders also refuse to admit that the decolonization program has been completed, as the loyalists claim.

On the contrary, they contest the result of the final 2021 referendum which, according to them, was imposed on the territory by the French authorities too soon after the Covid pandemic. According to them, the organization of this vote did not take into account the fact that Kanak communities were very hard hit by the pandemic and were not able to fully mobilize before the vote. Requests to postpone the referendum were rejected and many Kanaks abstained as a result.

In this context, the electoral reforms decided in Paris this week are considered by the independence camps as a new political prescription imposed on the Kanak people.

Social and economic inequalities

But this violence is not just an echo of past political grievances. Deep social and economic inequalities make the situation explosive, particularly among a large part of young people. According to the Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies of New Caledonia, in 2020, one in five New Caledonians is in a situation of monetary poverty. The local populations, Kanak but also Wallisians and Futunians, are faced with profound disparities. Dropping out of school is edifying, as are difficulties in accessing employment or resources. In companies, the share of Kanaks among executives was only 11.6% in 2019, cites La 1ère.

How to get out of the crisis ?

At the end of his whirlwind trip to New Caledonia and a long day of discussions with the political and economic actors of Caillou, Emmanuel Macron could only face the obvious: the Congress with a view to validation of the constitutional reform providing for the reform of the electoral body cannot be convened by the end of June. Despite a timid return to calm on the security level, political tensions are too high.

“The gunshot to the temple as a pressure shot does not work with Oceanian culture,” warned Jean-Jacques Urvoas, former Minister of Justice and rapporteur in 2015 for the permanent information mission. on the institutional future of New Caledonia.

Mr. Macron said he had “made a commitment” that the reform of the electoral body “would not pass in force” and that “we were giving ourselves a few weeks (…), in order to allow appeasement, the resumption of dialogue with a view to a global agreement.
Emmanuel Macron promises this Thursday, May 28, 2024 not to “forcibly push through” electoral reform. “I am committed to ensuring that this reform will not be implemented in force today in the current context and that we will give ourselves a few weeks to allow for appeasement, the resumption of dialogue with a view to a global agreement,” he said. he declared during a press statement in New Caledonia. But the reform of the electoral thaw “has democratic legitimacy”, he affirmed.

In the event of a global political agreement, the Head of State wants it to be submitted to the vote of New Caledonians. “My desire is that this global agreement is the one which integrates our Constitution (…) This agreement must obviously be negotiated by the legitimate political forces to do so, but must also involve the mayors, the active forces, in particular economic, of the New -Caledonia. My hope is also that this agreement can be submitted to the vote of [New] Caledonians,” he declared.

A way out of the crisis could involve what has been lacking in recent years: a dialogue between the executive and the local level.

FIFTY YEARS OF GIGN

ELITE UNIT OF THE NATIONAL GENDARMERIE

"Save lives at the risk of your own”. On this Friday March 1st, the GIGN is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Specializing in high-risk operations, the elite unit of the national gendarmerie has built its reputation around spectacular interventions often linked to hostage-taking, sometimes of a terrorist nature. But the GIGN has much broader prerogatives.

Creation of the GIGN in 1974

Although the GIGN was created in 1974, shortly after the Munich attack in September 1972, it was not the only affair that pushed the French Gendarmerie to think about creating a special force.

Two emblematic and painful cases, which took place one in 1969 and one in 1971, led us to realize that operations with people not trained for this led to tragedies.

The first of these cases was that of Cestas which took place in February 1969; A father who lost custody of his two children carries out his threats and kills them.

The other case, also widely publicized, took place in September 1971 in the Clairvaux remand center. Two inmates, Claude Buffet and Roger Bontems, take the nurse and a guard hostage. And slaughter them coldly.

These two tragedies had a painful impact on “the Gendarmerie as a whole but also at the level of public opinion where it was increasingly difficult to accept that the Gendarmerie did not have the means to intervene,” according to the founder of GIGN Christian Prouteau ON Cnew. “Despite everything, it was Munich which forced the decision” to create the GIGN.

Faced with this multiplication of tragedies, hostage-takings and plane hijackings (80 in 1969 alone), the idea of ​​a special intervention force is gaining momentum.

Elite unit of the national gendarmerie

This elite unit of the national gendarmerie, specialized in dangerous missions and crisis management, carried out several significant interventions, from Loyada to Djibouti in 1976, with the hostage-taking of a student bus, in Ouvéa in 1988, passing through Marignane airport in 1994. More recently, the GIGN notably lent a hand to the RAID, during the assault on Dammartin-en-Goële in 2015, intended to neutralize the Kouachi brothers, guilty of the The attack on Charlie Hebdo on January 9 of this year. It was also the GIGN which was in charge during the negotiations with Radouane Lakdim, the murderer of Arnaud Beltrame in Trèbes in 2018, who was finally shot dead.

Before intervening, the GIGN must first be alerted by what is called a “first responder”.

Crisis management missions

The GIGN's missions are multiple: hostage taking, intervention on trains, sensitive sites such as nuclear power plants, close protection, surveillance of dangerous individuals, flagrante delicto operations, extortion of funds... Actions which are part of all areas such as air and maritime counter-terrorism... Since the beginning, the men of the GIGN have carried out famous operations in multiple crisis zones in France and abroad, freeing or evacuating more than 600 hostages and 700 French nationals and foreigners under threat.

The unit is also involved in the protection of the President of the Republic through the GSPR (Security Group of the Presidency of the Republic).

More discreetly, the GIGN has an intelligence section and has specific means to carry out these missions.

Finally, the GIGN's action extends abroad where it participates in training and shares the expertise of the national gendarmerie in war zones. The GIGN also ensures the security of all French embassies throughout the world. The military even has an intervention capacity in the event that something happens there.

RACHIDA DATI ASKS FOR RANKING

FROM THE EIFFEL TOWER

TO HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

The famous Iron Lady has been closed since Monday February 19 due to a strike, with employees and unions accusing the Paris town hall of poor financial management of the monument. The minister also wrote on Twitter on Thursday that it would be necessary to request the classification of the Eiffel Tower as a historic monument, claiming not to understand why the mayor of Paris did not take this initiative.

A classification which seems urgent given the current state of disrepair of the Eiffel Tower.

The Eiffel Tower has been listed as a historic monument since June 24, 1964.

Historical monuments were born around 1830, when the State began to preserve the great heritage of France. The first list of historic monuments was published in 1840. Only prehistoric monuments, ancient and medieval buildings appear. The definition will evolve over the centuries to expand.

In 1925, a second category was created: registration in the supplementary inventory of historical monuments, which was opened to more recent heritage. The Eiffel Tower was therefore included in this inventory in 1964, even though it was only 75 years old.

However, it is not classified and buildings that are benefit from tax advantages, subsidies for preservation work, and may be subject to strict conservation obligations to ensure the protection of heritage. To be eligible for this classification, it must be of public interest on a historical and artistic level. The Gustave Eiffel Tower corresponds perfectly to these criteria. Today it is simply listed in the inventory.

An opportunity for the future candidate for mayor of Paris in 2026 to point out for the umpteenth time the incompetence of her rival Anne Hidalgo.

BUT WHO TO SAVE MACRONIA

TO EUROPEANS

All political parties have their head lists for the European elections and have already attacked their campaign. François-Xavier Bellamy (LR), Manon Aubry (LFI), Raphaël Glucksmann (Place publique, PS), Marie Toussaint (ELLV) and even Marion Maréchal (Reconquête!) crisscross France. Jordan Bardella has been leading the polls since his appointment on September 3.

The president of the RN even widens the gap with the list of the presidential majority, ahead of it by more than 10% in an Ifop survey of February 11 collecting 29% against 19 for a headless presidential majority. But who will carry the flag of Renew, the Renaissance political group, in the European elections on June 9 ?

This strategy of late announcement of the head of the Renaissance list would be desired according to a Renew MP:

“Since we don’t have a face, she avoids criticism.”

With the risk of letting opponents take the spotlight, like Raphaël Glucksmann, who can recover the votes of the Renaissance left wing, disappointed with the turn to the right of the new Macron government

But the truth would seem less rosy for Macronie.

Famous personalities refused the offer. European Commissioner Thierry Breton, Julien Denormandie, former Minister of Agriculture, have already said no and former ministers Olivier Véran and Clément Beaune seem to be left behind.

According to Ifop, the best defense against Jordan Bardella would be MEP Valérie Hayer, new president of the Renew group in the European Parliament and daughter... of a farmer. Yesterday morning, it was the former journalist and Renaissance MEP Bernard Guetta who applied.

FACED WITH THE INFLUX OF ILLEGALS AND EXCEPTIONAL DELINQUENCY

THE END OF LAND RIGHTS IN MAYOTTE

Will the latest announcement be enough to restore a feeling of security to the inhabitants of Mayotte? Arriving this Sunday in Mayotte, Gérald Darmanin announces his desire to put an “end to land rights” on the island facing a major migration crisis. “It will no longer be possible to become French if you are not the child of French parents, we will reduce the attractiveness of the archipelago,” explained the Minister of the Interior.

"We are going to take a radical decision, which is the inclusion of the end of land law in Mayotte in a constitutional revision that the President of the Republic will choose [...] It is an extremely strong, clear, radical measure, which obviously will be limited to the Mayotte archipelago", he indicated. In addition, he specified, the abolition of land rights in Mayotte will make it possible to "put an end to the territorialized visa", a device which prevents holders of a Mayotte residence permit from coming to France and the removal of which is one of the demands of the "citizen collectives", who have paralyzed the island for three weeks with roadblocks installed to protest against insecurity and uncontrolled immigration. According to the minister, the abolition of territorialized residence permits must be recorded in a Mayotte bill which will be studied in the National Assembly "in the coming weeks".

More than 150,000 illegal immigrants

The exceptional measure announced by Gérald Darmanin intends to calm the anger of some of the island's inhabitants who have been blocking traffic on major roads since January 22. The collective of “Forces vives de Mayotte” maintains blockades in the four corners of Mayotte, on the roads and at the port, paralyzing traffic and disrupting the economic life of the department.

They stand up against insecurity and delinquency, linked to illegal immigration which they consider uncontrolled. More precisely, they demand the expulsion of refugees from Great Lakes Africa, installed in a makeshift camp around the Cavani stadium, in Mamoudzou, and demand an end to acts of delinquency and clashes. This anger also shows the failure of Operation Wuambushu launched in spring 2023, during which hundreds of additional police and gendarmes were deployed in Mayotte to stem the flow of arrivals of migrants from the Comoros and combat delinquency and housing. unsanitary.

Mayotte, which became the 101st French department in 2011, attracts thousands of migrants each year, arriving by sea in "kwassa kwassa", makeshift boats, from the neighboring Comorian island of Anjouan, but also from Western Africa. Great Lakes and increasingly Madagascar.

Nearly half of Mayotte's estimated 350,000 inhabitants do not have French nationality, according to INSEE, but a third of foreigners were born on the island. In its February 2019 report, INSEE indicated that between "significant immigration from the Comoros" and the departures of "natives of Mayotte to the outside world", 48% of the department's population was foreign in 2017, a figure up 8% compared to 2012. And since then the situation has only deteriorated.

Comorian governments exploit their migrants whose remittances officially represent 20.5% of GDP. The Comoros is the fourth country in the world most heavily dependent on these transfers.

Insecurity and “extraordinary” delinquency

These illegal migrants, settled in particularly unsanitary neighborhoods, “bangas”, are prey to violence and trafficking.

In its report “Living environment and security in Mayotte” from November 2021, INSEE describes “extraordinary delinquency”. Over the period 2018-2019, in each area – burglaries, thefts, physical or sexual violence, etc. – Mahorese delinquency clearly exceeds the figures for mainland France.

This year, personal attacks have increased by 50%.

"The inhabitants of Mayotte are personally three times more victims of theft with or without violence", indicates INSEE, and the feeling of insecurity "far exceeds all the standards of the metropolis or other Drom (Departments and regions of Overseas)". 48% of Mahorais feel unsafe at home (52% in their neighborhood), i.e. five to six times more than in France. All these numbers are increasing year after year.

For six months, the island has also been suffering from a terrible drought which has forced the authorities to put in place water restrictions. Thanks to a recent improvement in the weather situation, and therefore to rainfall, water cuts were reduced in mid-January to every other day. Since the end of August 2023, running water has only been available one day out of three in Mayotte due to a historic drought, coupled with a lack of infrastructure and investment.

The Mayotte archipelago is the department where the National Rally scored its biggest score in the first round of the presidential election. Marine Le Pen received 59.10% of the votes, far ahead of the other candidates, but also very far from her score in 2017.

In a department undermined by insecurity and illegal immigration, the RN is attractive.

THE CLOTH OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL COUNCIL AGAINST PARLIAMENT THE VOICE OF THE FRENCH

THE WIDELY CENSORED IMMIGRATION LAW

All these provisions introduced by the Senate were censored as legislative riders, the legislator not having the right to add provisions unrelated to the subject addressed by the bill. For these articles, the Constitutional Council did not have to take a substantive position on the constitutionality of these measures.

.The text, reduced by 40% of its volume, has regained its initial size, with four chapters: the reform of foreigners' litigation, that of the right to asylum, the integration of foreigners in particular through work and the question of removal of delinquent foreigners.

He largely censored the law by removing numerous measures obtained by the right.

LR calls for a new text

After the censorship of the Constitutional Council, the Les Républicains party asked the government to include the censored provisions in a new text.

"We ask the government to resume as quickly as possible in a specific legislative text all the provisions invalidated by the Constitutional Council as 'legislative riders'", indicates the party in a press release signed by its boss Eric Ciotti, as well as the president of the group in the Senate Bruno Retailleau and his counterpart in the National Assembly, Olivier Marleix.

In a press release, MEP LR François-Xavier Bellamy denounces "a coup against a law that the French were waiting for". “By asking the Constitutional Council to empty of its substance a text voted by Parliament and massively supported by society, the government proves that it does not want our country to be able to regain control of immigration. This confirms the requirement carried by LR of a referendum on this crucial subject", he writes.

Bardella denounces "a coup by the judges, with the support of the President of the Republic"

The president of the National Rally, Jordan Bardella, denounced Thursday "a coup of force by the judges, with the support of the President of the Republic himself", after the Constitutional Council rebutted, totally or partially, 35 measures of the law immigration voted in mid-December in Parliament. “The Constitutional Council censors the firm measures most approved by the French: the immigration law is stillborn. The only solution is the referendum on immigration,” added Jordan Bardella in a message published on X.

And Marion Maréchal in a message published on X .: “Those who claimed that this law would reduce immigration made fun of the French.

June 9 will be a referendum: each Reconquest ballot will be a ballot against immigration."

This censorship by the Constitutional Council is, beyond the law, an eminently political decision, in defiance of the will of the vast majority of French people.

FRANCE REHABILITATION

ELISABETH BORNE RESIGNATION

Emmanuel Macron thanked Elisabeth Borne "with all my heart" for her "exemplary" work in the "service of the Nation", said the president.

Aurélien Rousseau, former Minister of Health and former chief of staff to Élisabeth Borne, reacted on X to the resignation of Elisabeth Borne and paid tribute to her.

"It's difficult to put a few words on such an intense human and political adventure. But working with Élisabeth Borne was an honor. The State is as close to the heart as the battle for employment and the desire to open up to all and all the paths to emancipation.

Clément Beaune says he is “very proud to have served our country” within the Borne government.

Transport Minister Clément Beaune praised the “ courage” and “ convictions” of Elisabeth Borne, shortly after the announcement of her resignation. “ I am very proud to have served our country in your government ,” he wrote on X.

Bruno Le Maire, in an attempt to save his place as minister, advocates the "virtues" of "stability" at Bercy, logical in a France, world champion of taxes, duties, and compulsory levies.

On the balance sheet side seen from here (USA) the balance sheet of Elisabeth Borne, Prime Minister, is really not positive, even if she is a champion of 49/3.

France remains very sick, and deserves a real prime minister who would reform the spending and wasting state of public money, who would significantly reduce taxes, who would bring order to its disastrous management of immigration which should be chosen and controlled, with many rigorous criteria, and of course subject to quotas.

Finally, France should establish a participatory democracy like that of Switzerland, a model for all countries that want to claim to be a true modern democracy respectful of its sovereign people.

Who will replace Elisabeth Borne, with what program ?

Even if it is well known, the saying "Too much tax kills tax" should be a mantra for the future Minister of Economy and Finance of France.

THE POSTPONEMENT OF THE PUBLICATION OF THE IMMIGRATION REPORT OF THE COURT OF AUDITORS

"A SERIOUS BREACH OF DEMOCRACY"

This document, published the day before, highlights the absence of a "global strategy" in migration policies and the ineffectiveness of the Obligations to Leave the French Territory (OQTF), of which only 12% actually result in removal measures.

The Court of Auditors estimates that this “deficient” policy has an annual cost of 1.8 billion euros.

However, it was the postponement of the publication decided by Pierre Moscovici, an early pro-immigrationist, which triggered a wave of indignant reactions on Saturday January 6.

The reason for this postponement ?

The desire of the first president of the Court of Auditors not to stir up the heated debates on the immigration law which agitated Parliament.

On LCI, Pierre Moscovici specified that the release of the report was initially scheduled for December 13.

“It happened to be two days after the vote on the motion to reject the immigration law.

I don't know if you imagine a report coming out at that time, and three days before the Joint Commission, but what would we have said? ", asks the former minister of François Hollande.

According to him, the "political crisis" generated by the examination of the text would have compromised the calm presentation of the work of the Court of Auditors.

The opposition calls this a "delusional admission".

For LR MP Aurélien Pradié, Pierre Moscovici deliberately concealed crucial information that could enlighten Parliament, calling this an unjustifiable fault. Laurent Wauquiez, LR president of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, goes so far as to demand the resignation of the first president of the Court of Auditors, considering this a serious breach of democracy.

The National Rally and France Insoumise also express their indignation, denouncing an “unacceptable” postponement and “shenanigans from another age”, respectively. Rock

Moscovici made a mistake

Article 47-2 of the Constitution gives food for thought to Pierre Moscovici's detractors.

Is it not stated that "the Court of Auditors assists Parliament in monitoring the action of the Government" and that it "assists Parliament and the Government in monitoring the execution of finance and financial laws ? 

The application of social security financing laws as well as in the evaluation of public policies ?"

ATTACK IN PARIS PSYCHIATRY AND TERRORISM

WHY THE CARE INJUNCTION

IS IT NOT THE PANACEA ?

After the knife attack in the heart of Paris on Saturday evening, Gérald Darmanin points out the follow-up of the attacker as “a psychiatric failure” in the follow-up of the assailant.

He wants a change in psychiatric practice.

This hot and perhaps political reaction surprised more than one person, Darmanin's argument being a bit facile, even demagogic.

This is also the opinion of Antoine Pelissolo, professor of psychiatry, head of department at CHU Henri-Mondor de Créteil.

“It is, in any case, a sweeping judgment to find scapegoats, while we do not yet have a complete, detailed analysis of the situation.

I cannot say if the follow-up of this French suspect was perfect, not having access to his file, but Gérald Darmanin cannot cast shame on psychiatric professionals.

Known psychiatric pathologies

Placed in police custody, covered by an “S sheet”, he had already been convicted and declared to the police that he “was tired of seeing Muslims die”, particularly in Gaza, and that France was “complicit” of Israel. The profile of the attacker, who claimed responsibility for his terrorist act, was quickly presented, as well as his serious radicalized past.

But unlike the assassin of Samuel Paty and that of Dominique Bernard, the perpetrator, arrested in Paris and designated as Armand Rajabpour-Miyandoab., suffers from known psychiatric pathologies.

Already in 2019, while he was in detention incarcerated for a planned attack at La Défense, the latter made disturbing remarks "I hear the voice of all the people imprisoned for terrorism"

These remarks are recorded in a legal document consulted by colleagues as an incident reported by a prison guard.

“Senior officer, something dirty is going through my head. I hear the voices of all the people imprisoned for terrorism.

I even hear the voices of the Bataclan jihadists asking me to take action. I'm lost and I don't know who I am anymore," the assailant said. "I want to slit my parents' throats on the way out.

My release date is near, and I don't know where I stand. I will end up taking action,” he added, while addressing the supervisor.

.One night in April 2019, Armand Rajabpour-Miyandoab saw the doctor, following an anxiety attack in the cell. He had thus indicated to him his conviction that “the prison administration wanted to poison him through meals”.

There is no doubt that the murderer suffers from psychological disorders; he had also been the subject of psychiatric monitoring for many years.

It was during his detention that the first psychiatric disorders were detected. He is then placed on an atypical neuroleptic, a treatment that he will continue after his release in 2020.

In March 2022, a doctor gave his approval to stop it. But six months later, based on a psychiatric assessment, the sentencing judge ordered an injunction for treatment.

The possibility of an “administrative care order”

One thing is certain, however: Armand Rajabpour-Miyandoab has not been subject to any treatment since April 2023, when his probation ended after three years. The coordinating doctor's reports about him were rather encouraging: he kept his appointments, had worked in the same company since 2020.

On several occasions in his reports, he dismisses the possibility of psychiatric danger.

Certain elements, however, raise questions. Last October, his mother reported to the specialized services a worrying withdrawal towards him.

However, she refused to request forced hospitalization.

And the intelligence services' room for maneuver is limited...

The law passed in 2021, which gives the possibility of extending the monitoring of prisoners convicted of terrorism for five years, including treatment orders, was not in force at the time of the attacker's release.

Much already exists in this area. The prefect can order hospitalization or psychiatric monitoring, but always with the advice of a doctor, since this must be strictly within the framework of a pathology.

Today, the prefect can only request hospitalization without consent from a patient if the latter has caused harm to "the safety of people or, seriously, to public order".

“Even if we had managed to take him to see a doctor, he would probably not have ordered compulsory hospitalization in the absence of any obvious disorder,” insists a source close to the case.

"But the articulation of acute psychological suffering with an ideology offers the individual a perspective of action to be taken seriously. It is not uncommon for an individual to channel himself with religion, according to his follow-up to the letter of certain hadiths, collections of the actions and words of Mohammed.

Other fragile individuals give meaning to their apocalyptic vision of the world with elements of reality allowing them to fuel a delusion of persecution, redemption, megalomaniac or mystical.

They can achieve a form of unstable equilibrium, until they feel psychologically forced to act,” explains Laure Westphal, clinical psychologist, Doctor in psychopathology and psychoanalysis.

This order for care “ahead of any disturbance to public order” ?

Gérald Darmanin's additional proposal would therefore be to put in place this care order upstream, in a preventive manner, before any potential action, on the basis of suspicion or alert information.

To remedy this legal void – already pointed out for several years by the intelligence services – the Minister of the Interior has therefore demonstrated his desire to give prefects the possibility of requesting administrative care injunctions.

In short: to allow them to order a psychiatric examination "ahead of any disturbance to public order", specifies the minister's entourage.

This would perhaps be a small step forward in the care of these terrorists with identified “psychological disorders”. It remains to be seen in what legal framework this could fit – the ministry is already specifying that this is not a question of not a measure of deprivation of liberty – and when.

But the border is not watertight; a radicalized person may be prey to psychiatric disorders which can therefore play a role in the act.

Convictional radicalization, choices that have rationality

Certainly in Armand RM the meaning of the act certainly escapes its author, but not the meaning he gives to his murderous action: he exercises the latter consciously in the name of an ideological logic, that of radical Islam . This Islamist terrorist made choices that had rationality. He is also a rational individual who theorized his act, as the doctor-psychiatrist at the Paris La Santé prison center and director of the Center for the Study of Radicalization and Their Treatments rightly recalls.

The war in Israel may have accelerated the project of fanatics to fight for a common identity, taken as a sort of unique political-religious frame of reference. He “was tired of seeing Muslims die”, particularly in Gaza. “The jihadists do not only have the prophet to “defend”. There is also what they consider to be the suffering caused to the Umma, the homogeneous and mythical Muslim community. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has long been identified as the focal point of Arab humiliations.

With the globalization of Islam, new generations of terrorists have replaced the conflicts in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Chechnya, Iraq and Syria. The military weakening of IS on Syrian and Iraqi territories has not extinguished desires for engagement. », underlines Laure Westphal.

1 6% of them only: “medium to strong” psychological fragilities.

And all the radicalized, far from it, have the profile of Armand

Indeed in 2022, a study by the Ministry of Justice, based on a panel of 350 detainees passed through radicalization assessment units, indicated that 8% of them presented psychiatric disorders and 16% fragilities. psychological “medium to strong”. .Among the large number of radicalized people, there is a proportion – not necessarily greater than in the general population – who suffer from psychiatric illnesses. The experience of the Center for Prevention, Integration, Citizenship, in 2016, confirmed this: only one of the beneficiaries of this structure for the prevention of radicalization suffered from psychiatric disorders. In the vast majority of cases, radicalization is conviction-based, there is strong ideological consent.

A significant number of radicalized individuals not covered by psychiatry !

Since the closure of the CPIC in 2017, support for radicalized people has been prioritized at the local level.

An information report, recorded at the Presidency of the National Assembly on June 27, 2019, states that, according to the Anti-Terrorism Coordination Unit (UCLAT), in April 2019, support was relayed in 269 municipalities.

These measures seem insufficient, if we believe that every year since 2015, attacks have been committed on our soil, although many are foiled. At the same time, in France, in March 2022, there were 570 radicalized common law prisoners and 430 prisoners for Islamist terrorism.

Armand M. had, according to French media, sworn "to no longer be Muslim", after several years spent behind bars for a planned attack in 2016 in the Parisian business district of La Défense. He was one of the 340 radicalized prisoners released since 2018 (around thirty others should be released in 2024).

Around fifty have been since the beginning of October, even though the DGSI reported this summer that the terrorist threat was still the number one in France... Potential bombs?

PARIS DRAMA POLITICAL RESPONSIBILITY

FRANCE FACING RADICALIZATION

AND THE ISSUES OF IMMIGRATION

The attacker, a Frenchman born in 1997 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, already on file for his links with radical Islamism and his psychiatric disorders, was apprehended by the police.

The drama began around 9 p.m. in the 15th arrondissement, as recounted by Gérald Darmanin, Minister of the Interior, present on the scene late in the evening. The suspect allegedly dealt several fatal blows to a man in the street, precipitating his tragic fate. The victim, a German national, was walking with his wife, physically spared but plunged into deep emotional shock.

The intervention of a taxi driver put an end to the first phase of the attack, followed by a call to 17 around 9:15 p.m., mobilizing the police of the 15th arrondissement. What followed was a breathtaking hunt for the suspect on the Bir-Hakeim bridge to the 16th arrondissement on the other side of the Seine.

During this hunt, the suspect attacked two other individuals with a hammer. Although their lives are not in danger, one is of foreign nationality, while the other is a French man in his sixties. The arrest of the suspect was facilitated by the use of an electric stun gun by law enforcement.

The initial investigation, entrusted to the criminal brigade, was quickly transferred to the national anti-terrorism prosecutor's office (Pnat) after midnight. Disturbing details emerged that the suspect allegedly chanted "Allah Akbar" repeatedly, expressing intolerance towards the deaths of Muslims around the world.

Gérald Darmanin revealed that the individual had already been sentenced in 2016 to four years in prison for having expressed a desire for violent action. Released in 2020, he was under the administrative surveillance of the General Directorate of Internal Security (DGSI), while undergoing treatment for his psychological disorders.

Faced with this tragedy, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne expressed her thoughts towards the victim, the injured and their loved ones, emphasizing the government's determination to not give in in the face of terrorism. Emmanuel Macron, later in the night, presented his condolences to the family of the deceased German national, praising the speed of the emergency services in arresting the suspect. He underlined the crucial role of the national anti-terrorism prosecution in the quest for truth on behalf of the French people.

This atrocious act of violence raises crucial questions about radicalization and the challenges linked to immigration in France. There are legitimate concerns about the system's ability to manage radicalized individuals with criminal histories, as well as the effectiveness of post-release monitoring systems.

This tragedy highlights the pressing need for in-depth reflection on immigration policies, in particular the distribution of French nationality without strict criteria and the management of the threat of radical Islamism. The French political authorities are now faced with their responsibilities in combating these challenges, in order to ensure the security and stability of the country.

Radicalization in the Spotlight

The echo of this tragedy resonates in the corridors of French power, raising broader questions about the management of radicalization in society. The cry of “Allah Akbar” uttered by the suspect highlights the religious dimension of this act, raising concerns about the way in which radical Islamism can take root in society.

The attacker's legal journey raises questions about the effectiveness of monitoring radicalized individuals after their release from prison. Convicted in 2016 for his violent aspirations, he was released in 2020, placed under the surveillance of the DGSI. However, despite this monitoring, he was able to carry out a murderous act, highlighting potential gaps in the security system.

The question of radicalization cannot be dissociated from the complexity of immigration in France. French nationality distributed without strict criteria is becoming a major concern.

How were individuals sharing extremist beliefs able to access citizenship without a rigorous assessment of their adherence to republican values ​​being carried out ?

This question resonates with particular force in the current context where the rise of radical Islamism is creeping into the cracks of an immigration system that is sometimes too permissive.

Immigration: Challenges and Reflections

The tragedy of December 2, 2023 highlights the need for serious introspection on immigration policies in France. The distribution of French nationality without rigorous criteria may prove to be an open door to individuals whose extremist beliefs threaten the stability of society. The ease with which radical individuals can access citizenship calls into question the robustness of control and selection mechanisms.

A reassessment of nationality granting procedures

The redefinition of migration policies in France, focused on the establishment of selective immigration, is emerging as a promising solution to strengthen the social and economic harmony of the country.

Questioning land law is seen as an essential necessity to adapt the process of granting French nationality to a changing world.

The central idea of ​​this transition is to move towards carefully selected immigration, based on rigorous criteria. The promotion of French culture, mastery of the language, as well as understanding of morals and customs, constitute essential elements among these criteria.

By opting for a proactive approach, France seeks to attract individuals whose values ​​and skills align harmoniously with those of French society.

The strict quotas, inherent to this new approach, aim to ensure a balance between the economic needs of the country and the preservation of its cultural identity.

By favoring specific selection criteria, such as professional qualifications and commitment to republican values, France aspires to build a diverse but united community.

This transition towards selective immigration is not only seen as a response to current challenges, but also as an opportunity to strengthen the French social fabric.

By encouraging integration and valuing diversity, France seeks to create a society where each individual, whatever their background, can contribute positively to national dynamism.

It is crucial to emphasize that this approach does not aim to close the doors, but rather to open them in a more selective manner, promoting a cultural exchange beneficial to all. By placing French culture at the heart of the selection criteria, the objective is to preserve and celebrate the cultural riches that make the nation unique.

In conclusion, the transition to chosen immigration in France, based on selective criteria including the promotion of French culture, represents a positive step forward towards a more coherent and resilient society. This proactive approach demonstrates France's desire to shape its future by welcoming those who share its fundamental values, thus contributing to the construction of a more inclusive and prosperous society.

All his reforms will also have the consequence of putting an end to such barbaric acts. All our thoughts are of course with the families of the victims.

CREPOL DRAMA THE RACIST CHARACTER

MURDER MUST BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT

During an interview this Tuesday, November 28, 2023 on BFM-RMC, Marie-Hélène Thoraval also pleaded for “putting an end to the culture of excuses”.

The racist character

The mayor of Romans-sur-Isère, Marie-Hélène Thoraval, affiliated with right-wing diversity, declared this Wednesday, November 29 that the “families” of the victims of the attack during the village ball in Crépol, in Drôme, ten days ago, requested that the courts consider the incident as “racist”.

“Families are asking for two things,” said the elected official during her interview on BFM-RMC.

“The first is the incontestable firmness of justice, and the second is that the racist character manifested by the attackers be taken into account,” she stressed. The mayor of Romans-sur-Isère expressed her fears about possible future tragedies after Thomas' murder.

She regretted the fact that all those involved “come from already delinquent parents”. According to her, it is a culture that is transmitted, an observation she has made as mayor since 2014.
Asked about the Monnaie district, where some of the suspects come from, Marie-Hélène Thoraval said that among the 4,500 inhabitants, “around a hundred young people” pose problems, forming “a particularly violent hard core”.

Radicalization and drug trafficking

She described this hard core as seeking to establish “a lawless zone by occupying the territory” of Drôme, to the detriment of the city’s 34,000 residents who aspire to tranquility.

“It’s an entire territory that is affected,” insisted the elected official, adding forcefully:

“We must stop practicing the culture of excuses.”

Concerning the disclosure of the suspects' first names, the mayor of Romans-sur-Isère criticized the fact of "not having communicated the first names earlier", deeming this "indecent".

She questioned the initial lack of transparency, pointing out that disclosing first names on social media before they are confirmed by authorities only reinforces stigma.

Already on Sunday, the mayor had called for "sitting around the table and working differently" in the face of a level of delinquency which, according to her, has its roots in radicalization and drug trafficking, in Romans and in other other cities.

On Monday, the government tried to ease tensions sparked by Thomas' death.

What cost the 16-year-old high school student his life was not "a simple brawl" but "a tragedy which runs the risk of a shift in our society", declared Olivier Véran, calling for not to respond to violence with violence. Certainly, but when will the government have the courage to name things and take the necessary measures ?

LOOTTING OF THE SACRE-COEUR BASILICA

FROM ROUEN

“A statue was broken. Sacred vessels have been stolen. The altar and the choir are in a terrible state, broken. By chance, grace or providence, the holy sacrament was not stolen,” reacted, still in shock, Father Geoffroy de La Tousche.

The parish priest of Rouen thus invited the faithful and Catholics to “pray […] for the parish”. He will meet them this Thursday, November 16 at 6:15 p.m. “for a time of prayer and reparation, at the request of the archbishop.” “At 6:30 p.m. we will celebrate mass, with new vases lent to us,” he continued.

The priest estimated the damage at “tens of thousands of euros”. A complaint was filed and an investigation was opened .

The investigation is to determine whether this act is linked to the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

ILLUMINATIONS OF THE CHAMPS ELYSEES

IN HONOR OF HOLIDAYS AND OLYMPIC GAMES

Marc-Antoine Jamet, the president of the Champs-Elysées Committee, unveiled this Monday, October 30 in the morning, at the Barrière Le Fouquet's hotel, the new developments concerning the illuminations for the New Year celebrations and the innovations undertaken on the famous avenue Parisian.
The illuminations ceremony for the end-of-year holidays, scheduled for November 19, will be honored by the presence of renowned actor Gilles Lellouche, an emblematic figure of French cinema with recognized talent, with successes such as "Les Petits mouchoirs " and "Bac Nord".

The sponsor of this special edition of the illuminations will be surrounded by institutions and, new in 2023, a family of three sick children, accompanied by the “Petits Princes” association. Together, they will have the honor of lighting the 400 trees that majestically line the Champs-Élysées.

It is the Provençal company Blachere Illuminations which is once again responsible for installing the light creations this year, which this year will follow “a more sustained three-step rhythm”. “Each hour will be marked by a strong and long sparkle, which will be repeated every quarter of an hour, and every five minutes the rhythm of sparkles will change, explains Marc-Antoine Jamet. The Committee of the Champs-Élysées also presents its new logo

integrating evolving pictograms according to the theme and a blue-white-red color palette.

These illuminations, placed under the sign of energy sobriety since the unprecedented extinction last year, reflect a total consumption estimated at around 13 300 kWh for 2023. This slight increase compared to the previous year is due to the extension of lighting by one week this year.

To further mark the identity of the Champs-Élysées, a new slogan is appearing this winter : "Let's light up the avenue, make Paris shine." Four new posters, inspired by the famous kisses of Times Square and City Hall, highlight the artery while capturing the romantic essence of the city.

As part of the ambitious “La Clef des Champs” project, the Champs-Élysées are also reinventing themselves visually. The Chairman of the Committee underlines the efforts made to make this avenue even more attractive for Parisians, based on the "3 P" strategy: becoming Parisian, popular and shared again. Among the many new features, the reorganization of the avenue's 17 terraces, supervised by Belgian designer Ramy Fischer, promises a modernized aesthetic and improved accessibility.

Welcoming 150,000 visitors daily and more than 250,000 on Sunday, the Champs-Élysées remains a dynamic place, combining cultural spaces, restaurants, food stores, and international brands such as JD Sports and Sephora. This vitality illustrates the success of the strategy adopted over the years, testifying to an avenue still at the height of its charm and attractiveness.

See you on November 19 from 6 p.m. to experience this magical moment.

IS THE VOICE OF FRANCE BECOME INAUDIBLE

ON THE INTERNATIONAL SCENE ?

And wouldn't its primary objective be above all to restore the lost greatness of France ?

A diplomatic ballet in Paris

The list of objectives was as long as the hopes of success were slim. This was the sentiment expressed by the foreign press on November 9, while the International Humanitarian Conference for the civilian population of Gaza took place in Paris, followed by the Annual Peace Forum from November 11, 2023.

The Head of State is inaugurating this Friday, November 11, 2023, the 6th edition of the Paris Peace Forum at the Palais Brongniart, dedicated this year to “building together in a world of rivalries”.

It will also close the One Planet summit on the poles and glaciers at the National Museum of Natural History, after similar meetings on the oceans in Brest and forests in Gabon.

Two linked, "connected" meetings, which are part of the "same logic of preparing international cooperation to avoid the crises of tomorrow and create more common goods", according to the term of the Élysée upstream of the sequence .

To conclude this diplomatic week, Macron will chair the 5th summit of the Christchurch Call, an initiative launched with New Zealand after the 2019 attack, aimed at combating terrorist content online. A new opportunity for the president to show initiative and affirm the strength of unity.

And to affirm that we are always stronger together. This is the vision of the President of the Republic, champion of multilateralism on the international scene.

Multilateralism in the spotlight

According to the Élysée, the Paris Forum manages to maintain multilateralism despite tensions and conflicts, by cooperating on subjects where collaboration is essential."

What we manage to do at the Paris Forum is that despite the tensions and despite the wars, we continue to bring multilateralism to life on subjects where we have no choice but to cooperate", explains today today the presidency to journalists

However, diplomatic hyperactivity in Paris raises concerns among correspondents, who fear that messages will be diluted in the multitude of summits.

Politico highlights Emmanuel Macron's impressive to-do list this week, from resolving the crisis in Gaza to tackling melting ice caps and the challenges of artificial intelligence.

A “humanitarian conference” at the initiative of Emmanuel Macron

France hosted on Thursday November 10, 2023 a “humanitarian conference” at the initiative of President Emmanuel Macron to facilitate aid to Gaza, hampered by Israeli bombings since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.

After more than a month of strikes, hundreds of thousands of civilians, according to the UN, remain trapped in the north of the Gaza Strip, an area of ​​intense Israeli offensive.

Around 1.5 million people of Gaza's 2.4 million inhabitants have been displaced by the conflict.

Emmanuel Macron stressed the need to work to protect civilians, calling for a rapid humanitarian pause and a ceasefire. He insisted on Israel's right to defend itself while emphasizing its responsibility to protect civilians.

“It is the protection of civilians that we must work on. For this we need a very rapid humanitarian pause and we must work for a ceasefire,” declared Emmanuel Macron in front of representatives of around fifty of countries and humanitarian organizations, which had until then only mentioned the need for a "truce".

If Israel has "the right to defend itself and the duty to protect its own", its government also has "an eminent responsibility (...) to respect the law and protect civilians", insisted the French president.

Paris also considers a truce necessary to obtain the release of some 240 hostages held by Hamas, including some French people.

At the end of the conference, the organizers announced that the commitments made yesterday by the participating countries exceeded one billion euros.

The disappointment of the NGOs

According to the White House, Israel has agreed to daily four-hour breaks. At the end of the conference, commitments from participating countries exceeded one billion euros.

However, the conference, organized as an emergency, mainly brought together only second-rate representatives in the absence of the Israeli government, and it took place without the participation of the belligerents and the United States.

Furthermore, despite financial commitments, much of the aid intended for the Palestinian territories, estimated at $1.2 billion by the end of 2023, risks being ineffective without regular access of aid trucks to Gaza. .

Humanitarian organizations have expressed their disappointment, stressing the impossibility of intervening as long as the bombings continue."

We are quite disappointed because there was no consensus on an immediate ceasefire (…).

Beyond the mobilized aid, the challenge is to get it back to Gaza,” said Jean-François Corty, vice-president of Médecins du Monde. Setting up relief on the battlefield is impossible.”

End of inadmissibility from Biden and Netanyahu

As if in response to these calls, the White House affirmed that Israel agreed to "daily" four-hour breaks in certain areas of the north "of the Gaza Strip, but US President Joe Biden ruled that there was “no possibility” of a real ceasefire.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu consistently rules out such a ceasefire without the release of the hostages.

An Israeli military official said Thursday that "there is no humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip," while acknowledging the "many difficulties" facing civilians in the Palestinian territory gripped by Israel's war. and Hamas. Israel "facilitates the delivery of humanitarian aid," said Colonel Moshe Tetro, head for Gaza of the Israeli Defense Ministry body overseeing civilian activities in the Palestinian Territories.

However, US President Joe Biden ruled that a real cessation of hostilities was impossible.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rules out a ceasefire without the release of the hostages. An Israeli military official has denied the existence of a humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The voice of France become inaudible ?

Israel and the United States may have differences on the strategic priorities of this war, but they are at least united in quickly dismissing their French counterpart. Emmanuel Macreon's desire to exist internationally through some show of brilliance falls like a bellows.

This is evidenced by the reception of several initiatives recently launched by the President of the Republic, and the small fallout from his trip to the Middle East.

His idea, put forward from Jerusalem, of an international coalition against the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, behind the bloody attacks against Israel, has not aroused the enthusiasm of other Western capitals, far from it. It was rather mocked by experts considering it extremely complex to implement.

Just like the deployment of the ship “Tonnerre” off the coast of the Gaza Strip, announced this time in Cairo in Egypt to “support the hospitals there”.

The ship has arrived in the area, but it is still not receiving any wounded and its operations there are complicated by the blockade imposed by Israel.

These actions were met with skepticism, raising questions about France's ability to embody a respected and listened to diplomatic voice.

And to speak of a big diplomatic gap : "how can he be followed when in Israel, on October 24, he proposed - without warning anyone - to mobilize the international coalition against the Islamic State this time to "fight against Hamas" , then asks to “work towards a ceasefire” in the Gaza Strip this Thursday, November 9, 2023?

In other words, how can he go in 17 days from the idea of ​​intervening mainly by air in Gaza with the added bonus of support from Arab countries (which is what "the coalition against Daesh" was doing) to the completely opposite objective of a ceasefire in the same place? ", we read from the pen of Maurice Bontinck in La Charente libre.

"But this great diplomatic gap carried out on a thread demonstrates that Emmanuel Macron thinks first of his country and of preserving its already well-divided unity. By blowing hot and cold with sometimes contrary ideas, he also embodies the tensions politicians who are found even in its own majority.

But above all he embodies French divisions. We can still see it in his hesitation to demonstrate on Sunday against anti-Semitism. ", concludes the editorialist.

SHOCK REPORT

THE VULNERABILITY OF FRANCE

FOREIGN INTERFERENCE AND ESPIONAGE

We can doubt it. The observation is clear. "The new dimension taken by foreign interference reveals persistent vulnerabilities, starting with our naivety, which is as much that of the political and administrative elites as [those] of economic and academic circles", indicates a report of the parliamentary intelligence delegation, published this Thursday, November 2, 2023.

Made up of eight parliamentarians, all authorized for defense secrecy, the parliamentary intelligence delegation is responsible for monitoring the action of specialized services, such as the DGSE, the DGSI or the DRM.

“High threat level”

Foreign interference has mutated to become a “protean, omnipresent and lasting” threat from espionage to the use of cyber space or information manipulation operations. His conclusion is clear: France is not armed enough to confront foreign influences.

The delegation underlines that this danger has taken “a new dimension in recent years, primarily due to a “radical change in the geopolitical context”…

“We have suddenly moved from a world of competition to a world of confrontation with authoritarian regimes on one side and Western democracies on the other (…). This divide between the West and the rest of the world emerges (…) as the dominant marker of the current period,” according to the document. Sacha Houlié, the president of the delegation, speaks of a “new cold era”.

“The informational and reputational war waged by authoritarian regimes.”

This danger arises, in fact, at the heart of a digital and technological revolution which has made cyberspace “the privileged field of confrontation and strategic competition between States”, a war led, above all, according to the DPR, by Russia. , China and Turkey.

The delegation's report dwells at length on "the informational and reputational war waged by authoritarian regimes." Because if classic espionage still exists, “fake news is the weapon of a war waged against the West without, for a long time, having identified the means to defend ourselves.”

And in this game Russia is the strongest. Moscow even has “its signature”, its techniques and they are formidable. Infiltration is part of this, for example the appointment of former European officials to the boards of directors of large Russian companies, such as the former French Prime Minister François Fillon or the former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder.

There is also the manipulation of information, even if in France the banning of the media Russia Today and Sputnik has “helped reduce the scope of the information war” of Russia.

We must not neglect Xi Jinping's China, very effective with its “united front”, a “political strategy and a network of public and private institutions and key individuals, placed under the control of the Chinese Communist Party”. Chinese nationals (600,000 in France) are a key link in this system

Finally there is Turkey which since the arrival of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the top of power – in 2014 – no longer even hides its ambition “to control the Turkish diaspora as a relay of the ideas of Ankara’s power, it is i.e. hostile to Kurds and Armenians.” The report points to “religious practice”, “a powerful lever for promoting a political ideology”.

The document highlights the financing of places of worship in France and the assignment of Turkish imams to French mosques which “allowed Turkey to influence Islam in France”.

This system has since been banned... but its effects continue. Ankara also infiltrates through “entry into politics through participation in local and national elections”, through activism on social networks to propagate messages hostile to legislation, such as that on religious separatism.

“Our allies are not always our friends”

But not only that: unlike the fight against terrorism, where France can count on its traditional allies, the area of ​​foreign interference is unique. “Our allies are not always our friends when it comes to espionage and economic interference,” summarized the chairman of the law committee, who cited the cases of the United States, Australia and even Israel. . “We are alone in this.”

Various operating methods, such as the extraterritoriality of law, are used in particular by the United States of America to capture data and undermine our economic security.”

Finally, the document insists on the need to pay attention to more discreet forms of espionage which may be the work of France's historical “allies”, as was the case with the Pegasus affair, named after the famous software Israeli spy that Morocco allegedly used to hack President Macron's telephone data. Since June 2022 the two countries have been at loggerheads and Israel has dried up Rabat's sources.

All these phenomena thrive on the “naivety” of elected officials, senior civil servants but also businesses and academic circles, writes the report. The report calls for a national awakening and intends to reduce the “naivety” and “denial” which are rampant within French society against an evil which undermines national sovereignty in all its forms: political, legal, military, economic and technological.

At the start of 2023, Emmanuel Macron explained that “war is no longer declared, it is waged quietly, insidiously, it is hybrid”. The delegation suggests the creation of an anti-interference bill aimed at detecting the action of foreign intelligence services, through data processing on the Internet.

To compensate for these deficiencies, the deputies propose the establishment of an “ad hoc legislative system for the prevention of foreign interference on the model of American law”, the adoption of a system of freezing assets for “any person or structure engaging in actions detrimental to the maintenance of national cohesion or intended to promote the interests of a foreign power.”

Furthermore, the authors of the report suggest “a European response” and are of the opinion that the different response strategies could be grouped “in a bill dedicated to the fight against foreign interference”.… At the level of national

emergency

The State elevates the fight against foreign interference to the rank of national emergency and devotes most of its annual report to it. Welcoming to see the budget and staff allocated to intelligence constantly increasing – 3.03 billion euros and 19,572 people in 2022 – the DPR also welcomes the injection of 5 billion additional euros planned in the 2024-2030 military programming law.

This will be necessary, say its members, to support “the paradigm shift in French intelligence” that constitutes the new priority given to counter-intervention.

FAREWELL TO PROFESSOR DOMINIQUE BERNARD KILLED BY AN ISLAMIST TERRORIST

Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron attended the ceremony, as well as the Minister of National Education Gabriel Attal. During this funeral, his relatives spoke to talk about what a man Dominique Bernard was. The French teacher was named a knight of the Legion of Honor on Thursday, the day of his funeral.

In Arras Cathedral.

“I would like to reiterate my gratitude to all the teachers in our country,” declares Olivier Leborgne

We must renounce the fact that others do not always correspond to what we expect of them or would like them to be. Hope demands that we leave all spirit of domination,” declared the Bishop of Arras. “But in this count, there is no resignation,” he urged.

“There is no invitation to resignation,” urges Monseigneur Leborgne

"When we say “thy will be done”, we must not be misunderstood. There is no invitation to resignation. God does not want death. Jesus is the one who recovers. He wants to make us into alive", declared Monseigneur Leborgne before beginning the Our Father with the assembly.

“When will the violence and madness of the world stop ?” asks the Bishop of Arras in his homily

“What are we allowed to hope ?, asks Monsignor Leborgne in his homily. Faced with the drama that brings us together this morning, this question crosses us all. And it crossed Dominique. He had very great sensitivity. Worrying about the "evolution of education and teaching."

“A teacher was brutally murdered in a school compound,” he continues, thinking of the three other victims of the attack who were injured. We are all stunned. When will the violence and madness of the world stop ?

Are we irremediably condemned to it ?

“We are stripped bare in the face of the odious and the unacceptable,” declares Olivier Leborgne. In his homily, the bishop, who notably celebrated Lola's funeral ceremony in October 2022, said he also feared "revenge and withdrawal".

No invitation to resignation. Jesus is the one who raises

“There is no invitation to resignation,” urges Monseigneur Leborgne

“When we say “thy will be done”, there should be no mistake. There is no invitation to resignation. God does not want death. Jesus is the one who lifts up. He wants to make us alive,” declared Monseigneur Leborgne before beginning the Our Father with the assembly.

A professor brutally murdered

“I would like to reiterate my gratitude to all the teachers in our country,” declares Olivier Leborgne

“A teacher was brutally murdered in a school compound,” he continues, with a thought for the three other victims of the attack who were injured. We are all stunned. When will the violence and madness stop world ?. 

Are we irremediably condemned to it ?"

“We are stripped bare in the face of the odious and the unacceptable,” declares Olivier Leborgne. In his homily, the bishop, who notably celebrated Lola's funeral ceremony in October 2022, said he also feared "revenge and withdrawal".

A teacher who will be remembered forever by his students "You were there for the students who were nourished by your passion for literature and the hope that you put in them. (...) Here you are elevated to the rank of martyrs." , remembers a colleague. But the State must protect its people against this blind violence of Islamism and fight against Islamo-leftism.

TERRORIST ATTACK AT ARRAS HIGH SCHOOL

THE WORRYING PROFILE OF THE FAMILY

OF THE MURDERER MOHAMMED MOGOUCHKOV

Jihadism has once again struck France in an international context of extreme tension.

Three years after the assassination of Samuel Paty in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine (Yvelines), the school, the symbol par excellence of the Republic, was targeted again, Friday October 13 in the morning, by an Islamist of around twenty 'years.

A literature teacher was killed and three others were seriously injured during a late morning knife attack at the Gambetta-Carnot high school in Arras by an Islamist terrorist. Three other people were injured by the attacker.

The latter was taken into custody like four members of his family and three other people. The assailant would have refused, for the moment, to speak in police custody.

The perpetrator of the attack also shouted “Allah Akbar”, a police source said. File S, the suspect was under surveillance by the DGSI and was checked on Thursday. If the attacker was followed by the intelligence services and on S file since October 2, his big brother was convicted of criminal terrorist association.

He was sentenced to 5 years in prison for terrorist conspiracy, plus 18 months for advocating terrorism.

An emergency system was quickly put in place around the Gambetta-Carnot school complex. The Raid was put on high alert.

Political reactions followed one another all day long.

Emmanuel Macron denounced a “cowardly and savage” assassination. The head of state also chaired a security meeting with several ministers.

Gabriel Attal declared from his ministry that, on Monday, "everywhere in France, we will have a moment of union and contemplation", in tribute to the teacher killed during a knife attack in a high school in Arras. The Minister of National Education also announced "to deploy nearly 1,000 prevention and security personnel in schools and educational establishments". "These are mobile security teams" in the rectorates.

First testimonies

Xavier Bertrand, president of the Hauts-de-France region, recounted how the tragedy unfolded: “According to my information, two teachers who were outside the establishment were attacked by a man. one was fatally hit, the other injured.

Then the assailant entered the high school and attacked a third victim. The police intervened very quickly, perhaps due to the very close police station or the patrols carried out. He was incapacitated with a Taser, then law enforcement worked to find the other members of his family. His brother was arrested in front of another school. "

A third grade student testified to the newspaper, explaining that the teacher “tried to calm him down and protect us.” According to the teenager, the suspect had “two knives”.

“More than 11 years after the killings perpetrated by Mohammed Merah, opening an endless list of tragedies from Charlie Hebdo to the Bataclan to Arras, it is in the name of the same Islamist ideology that wild obscurantists are shedding blood. ", we can read in a forum.

The disturbing journey of terrorist Mohammed Mogouchkov and his family

A collective expulsion aborted at the last minute, a father sent back to Russia, a mother rejected from asylum, a son imprisoned as part of a planned attack, a second who committed an Islamist attack on Friday: chronicle of fifteen years in France for the Mogushkovs. The family of Mohammed Mogouchkov, who stabbed a teacher in a middle school in Arras on Friday, arrived in France in 2008, according to a police source.

The attacker's route begins to take shape. But the young man, who was arrested by the police, was not the only one in his family to be known to the intelligence services.

The suspect, a young man of 20, presented as Chechen and born in Russia, shouted "Allah Akbar" before committing the murder of the teacher.

Originally from Ingushetia, he had been a student in the establishment where the attack took place. Since last summer, he had been under the surveillance of the DGSI and had been registered in the File for processing reports for the prevention of radicalization of a terrorist nature (FSPRT). He was later classified as a radicalized individual on October 2.

Monitored by intelligence services

Arriving in France in 2008 at the age of 6, he never obtained French nationality. In March 2021, his request for asylum was rejected by Ofpra, followed by a rejection of his appeal in August 2022. However, due to his presence in France before the age of 13, he benefited from protection against removal from French territory.

Intelligence services had been monitoring him for around ten days, using wiretapping and physical surveillance. On Thursday, he was checked without any offense being charged against him, before being released. Initial investigations suggest that this is a radicalized individual who suddenly decided to take action. His younger brother was also arrested near another high school in Arras.

The big brother already condemned

The big brother is also known to the intelligence services and was sentenced this year to five years in prison for “conspiracy of terrorist criminals” and to 18 months for “apology of terrorism”. He is currently detained at the Santé prison in Paris.

In 2019, the DGSI spotted a man suspected of preparing an attack. The investigation revealed that this project involved a trio aiming to attack the surroundings of the Élysée Palace and the police as well as civilians on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées. One of the suspects had links via Telegram with the big brother of the Arras attacker, described as a “particularly violent young radicalized person on social networks”.

This led to the arrest of the trio as they prepared to obtain weapons. In addition, the investigation revealed that the big brother had been involved in propaganda activities and had intentions of leaving for Syria for jihad.

And that's not all. During the investigation, the police discovered the existence of an incident at the Gambetta high school in Arras, at the beginning of December 2016. During a course devoted to freedom of expression and specifically to the attacks of Charlie Hebdo, he declared “that the attack took place because they had insulted Muslims.

They insulted Islam by representing the prophet and Shiites are not Muslims." On social networks, he offered an interlocutor "courses in throat-cutting in theory and practice."

An expulsion notice in 2014 In 2016, he made alarming comments at the Gambetta high school in Arras.
In 2013, the family submitted a first request for asylum in France, which was rejected. In 2014, an eviction attempt was initiated, but later canceled due to the mobilization of associations.

Organizations for the defense of foreigners are stepping up actions to prevent it. In a press release dated February 19, 2014, the Rennes branch of the French Communist Party (PCF) welcomed the “mobilization of associations which was able to push back the prefecture […] and free the Mogouchkov family” from the detention center where they had was placed for this operation “on the sly”.

This Friday, an investigation was opened by the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office (Pnat) for charges of assassination in relation to a terrorist enterprise, attempted assassination in relation to a terrorist enterprise and terrorist criminal association with a view to prepare crimes against people. The investigations are carried out by the anti-terrorist sub-directorate of the national directorate of the judicial police (SDAT), the national directorate of the judicial police (DNPJ) and the General Directorate of Internal Security (DGSI).

Emotion and anger

“This company constantly produces amnesia…

We forget everything very quickly: between two attacks, between two murdered teachers, we act as if everything was fine!

What are we going to do now?

Shall we go drop off some teddy bears and candles?

Is this what will prevent the next attack?

Many still do not understand who we are dealing with, in particular because this society is incapable of decentering itself but also because of intellectual laziness and flight from reality.

Yes, this one is scary and we will have to confront it.", asserts history professor Iannis Roder, teacher in Seine-Saint-Denis and director of the Education Observatory of the Jean Jaurès Foundation in The Point .

VISIT OF CHARLES III TO FRANCE

STATE DINNER AT THE CHATEAU DE VERSAILLES

FOR THE ROYAL COUPLE

Royal banquet, blue lobster and Swedish violin. Here is the program for Charles III's dinner at the Palace of Versailles this Wednesday evening. The British monarch is visiting France for three days with Queen Camilla, six months after having had to postpone his visit in the midst of the movement against pension reform.

At the Palace of Versailles, Emmanuel Macron will pull out all the stops. The dinner will be given this Wednesday in the Hall of Mirrors, the most emblematic place of the castle, originally intended to celebrate the omnipotence of Louis XIV, the Sun King, and to dazzle its visitors.

The choice of Versailles responds above all to a wish of Charles III, “sensitive to the idea of ​​following in the footsteps of his mother”, and to a desire to “make France shine” through one of its most prestigious sites. , says the presidency. Elizabeth II was the most received foreign head of state at Versailles, in 1948 (then Crown Princess), in 1957, when a lunch was served in her honor in the same Hall of Mirrors, and in 1972. » At Versailles, it is centuries-old France that receives,” argues historian Fabien Oppermann.

Hugh Grant, Mick Jagger and Ken Follett

Among the 150 to 180 distinguished guests, we anticipate the notable presence of members of the government, powerful captains of industry and several public figures. Like Charlotte Gainsbourg, other Franco-British actresses are invited by the Macron couple. Kristin Scott Thomas, the illustrious actress, will also be there at Versailles, accompanied by Emma Mackey, a 27-year-old young actress propelled to the top thanks to the hit Netflix series, Sex Education.
The elite of the sports world will also be represented in force. Indeed, tennis champion Amélie Mauresmo, crowned at Wimbledon in 2006, as well as Arsène Wenger, the legendary Arsenal manager for 22 years, will honor with their presence at this sumptuous state dinner.

They will be accompanied by former football stars Patrick Vieira and Didier Drogba, and Tony Estanguet, president of the organizing committee for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Marie-Amélie Le Fur, president of the French Paralympic and Sports Committee, as well as Florian Grill , president of the French Rugby Federation, are also among the prestigious guests.

The big bosses are in the “party”

As for politicians, Emmanuel Macron invited the President of the Senate Gérard Larcher and the President of the National Assembly Yaël Braun-Pivet to join him in celebrating Charles III. MPs and members of the government will be joined by former political leaders, such as Laurent Fabius, Jack Lang or Pierre Moscovici.

Large French companies will be strongly represented with Bernard Arnault (LVMH), Xavier Niel (Illiad), Leena Nair (Chanel), Catherine Macgregor (Engie), Jean-Dominique Sénard (Renault). The guest list also includes heads of Franco-British institutions as well as around fifteen politicians, including five members of the government.

Lobster, poultry and Isfahan

The menu was leaked to the press in recent days. Three great chefs will be in charge for the starter, main course and dessert. Three-star chef Anne-Sophie Pic is in charge of the entrance. She will concoct a “Carier crab and blue lobster, veil of fresh almonds”, she reveals to Le Point. This starter will be served with a dash of mint gel, confirms the Élysée.

The chef, also three stars, Yannick Alléno will offer a dish of poached Bresse poultry flavored with corn accompanied by a porcini gratin.

Master cheesemaker Bernard Antony will then offer a 30-month Comté and a Stichelton, a 100% English blue cheese.

A NEW TOOL THE PREFERENDUM 

FOR EMMANUEL MACRON ?

This approach would make it possible to “simultaneously submit several issues during a single vote,” he later detailed. However, several constitutional law experts question the legal validity of such consultation. Clarifications to follow.

A “significant political approach”, an initiative previously announced by the President of the Republic.

A scheduled summit between Emmanuel Macron and the main leaders of political parties, scheduled for Wednesday August 30, 2023.

And, to top it all off, a possible establishment of a “preferendum” intended to solicit the opinion of French citizens. This terminology, mentioned on Tuesday August 29 by the government spokesperson, Olivier Véran, would, according to him, consist of "evaluating several questions simultaneously during the same vote".

The government spokesperson, who is also in charge of "democratic reform", maintained a certain ambiguity as to the contours of this concept of "preferential voting". This would make it possible in particular to “ask various questions to French citizens”, a sort of questionnaire with multiple choices, covering several themes.

According to Olivier Véran, this approach would have the advantage of circumventing the main weakness of a classic referendum: that of being reduced to a binary choice in favor or against the actions of the President of the Republic. “By asking multiple questions, individuals may express themselves more freely on one topic, while still providing substantive answers regarding other questions,” he said.

A concept not provided for by the Constitution
However, a problem arises: the concept of preferendum is not explicitly provided for in the French legislative framework. "

Technically, a referendum can include several questions, provided that they are understandable and distinct from each other,” explains Lauréline Fontaine, professor of public and constitutional law. Otherwise, the process would not comply with article 11 of the Constitution, which governs the use of referendums in France.

In this case, the procedure would become more of a consultation, "devoid of any binding power towards the executive power", underlines the specialist in constitutional law. This would be somewhat similar to the citizen consultations, particularly those related to climate, whose proposals have only been partially integrated into the legal texts.

The holding of several referendums in a single day
Olivier Véran wanted to clarify his vision on Wednesday August 30, after the meeting of the Council of Ministers:

“It is possible to hold several referendums at different times.

You could opt to ask several questions to French citizens during the same day. What the Constitution provides is that several distinct questions cannot be merged in the same ballot.

However, the Constitution allows citizens to be questioned on various issues on the same day, through independent ballots. This is what we could call a preferential ballot,” he clarified.

He also mentioned the prospect of a "pre-referendum", described as "national consultation, not accompanied by legal force: that is to say that we would poll French citizens on questions which could not be resolved. subject to a referendum under the Constitution.

EMMANUEL MACRON MEETING

PARTY LEADERS

The famous “major political initiative” now has a name: the Saint-Denis Meetings. Between Emmanuel Macron and the political parties, the incompatibility is total. But yet the president chooses to lock himself away for several hours this Wednesday with party leaders to listen, exchange, and even expect from them ideas and support to nourish the rest of the five-year term.

Publicity stunt or real political progress? A government seminar will in any case meet on September 6 to follow up on Emmanuel Macron's "major political initiative", which brings together the heads of political parties in Saint-Denis (Seine-Saint-Denis) on Wednesday August 30. ), announced government spokesperson Olivier Véran.

Emmanuel Macron orchestrates this meeting within the educational establishment of the Legion of Honor, located in Saint-Denis to the north of the French capital. The declared objective remains the search for “paths” conducive to moving the country forward, transcending political divisions, given the absence of an uncontested majority. This approach could possibly open the door to the organization of referendums, as the presidential invitation suggests.

The summit, scheduled to begin at 3 p.m., will take place behind closed doors, bringing together the president and party leaders seated around a table. An “unprecedented” configuration, according to the head of state’s entourage. No staff members will be present,

Participants will take part in two discussion sessions around the international scene and institutional reforms. Subsequently, they will share a dinner focused on the multiple issues arising from the recent urban riots: education, authority, integration, disparities, according to declarations from the Élysée.

All invited parties will be represented. The leaders of all parties in Parliament have accepted the invitation, but each comes with distinct priorities.

The left insists on the need for a referendum on pension reform, while the right and the far right wish to submit to the French a question relating to immigration. For its part, the presidential majority intends to address the reform of institutions.

A form of confession away from the cameras. Emmanuel Macron's convictions towards his interlocutors remain generally unchanged, but by bypassing the National Assembly, he is going against all odds with the resources at his disposal.

“But what is this initiative launched in the middle of summer by the Head of State a sign of?

Of an executive power in search of oxygen, which is groping, desperately seeking a solution to its lack of majority, while striving to resuscitate democratic dialogue. », Analyzes a journalist from Le Figaro.

EMMANUEL MACRON TIGHTENS THE SCREWS

OF HIS NEW GOVERNMENT

Following a ministerial reshuffle which saw the integration of eight new members, including Aurélien Rousseau in Health and Gabriel Attal in National Education, Emmanuel Macron, President of the Republic, solemnly addressed his ministers during the Council of Ministers, this Friday. 

The change at the head of these two key ministries, on priority files for Emmanuel Macron's second five-year term, seem to indicate that the Prime Minister, Élisabeth Borne, has partly succeeded in her bet. Ministers and advisers had been describing since Monday a hushed battle between the head of government, who hoped to renew at least these two posts to establish her authority, and the President of the Republic who only wanted a marginal reshuffle.

In accordance with his commitments, the Head of State had planned to speak after the "hundred days" of action and appeasement, a crucial period set for his Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, to get out of the pension crisis.

“You went through budgets, pension reform, important energy and economic texts and then implemented the 100-day roadmap. (…) this is why I have chosen continuity and efficiency for the times to come and which are opening up before us”, declared the president in introductory remarks before the reshuffled government, meeting in the Council of ministers.D He firmly announced his choice for continuity and efficiency in the times to come, praising the work accomplished and reiterating his confidence in Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne.

Emmanuel Macron has clearly defined the main political orientations for the rest of his five-year term with two themes that he wishes to highlight: independence and justice. "The course is clear and simple: it is the independence of the country, declared the president. In order to consolidate a fairer model". He underlined that independence must be reflected in all sectors, whether economic, industrial, energy, military or geopolitical, as it constitutes the foundation of a more equitable model for society.

The President insisted on the need to reduce inequalities from the start by investing massively in Education and Health. School and health are the pillars on which he intends to rely to build a more equitable future for all citizens. He thus proudly recalled his reforms for the vocational high school and the teacher pact, while evoking adjustments for the baccalaureate and Parcoursup.

Rigorous management of public finances is another key priority for the President. From the start of the school year, he intends to prepare the country for a demanding and orderly approach to budgetary matters. A solid strategy will make it possible to repay the debt, continue to lower taxes and manage deficits sensibly.

Concerned about the environmental future, Emmanuel Macron announced the implementation of "ecological planning" at all levels, thus consolidating the efforts already undertaken with the energy sobriety plan and the water plan.

In addition, the President pledged to respond comprehensively to recent urban riots, seeking to address issues of national fragmentation and division. The president considered that there is a "need for authority, respect and legitimate hope (...) We must learn the lessons of what has happened and provide in-depth answers", in specifying that this "will structure the work of the return to school" of the government

“I congratulate the government for having been able to pass this emergency response law, which was expected and which makes it possible to go faster on the procedures and to better support our elected officials”, declared Emmanuel Macron. Parliament definitively adopted the bill on Thursday to facilitate reconstruction work after the recent urban violence, a text promised on July 4 by Emmanuel Macron to the mayors affected. "We will have to continue to be alongside the mayors", also affirmed the Head of State. Action aimed at supporting the most vulnerable families and children will be undertaken to restore harmony and cohesion within the community. Nation.

The immigration law will be back on the table as soon as the school year starts: an "important reform with a solid text which responds pragmatically to many subjects", declared Emmanuel Macron. because the government must respond pragmatically to many issues.

For the sake of setting an example, the President reminded the ministers that being in government implies acting with dignity, collegiality and efficiency. Method lesson to ministers

“Being a minister is not about speaking in the post,” he told the ministers of his government. Emmanuel Macron wanted to talk about method and asked the ministers "to be exemplary" and to always act with "the greatest dignity". "You are watched in every detail of your action, your expressions, your life, and what we owe the country is to act, to explain, to respond and to do so always with the greatest dignity. ", he added.

"In times when language violence, sometimes inappropriate behavior, takes up too much space in public life, the government of France is expected to be exemplary and to make French men and women proud, so let's do it" , did he declare. The President of the Republic also demanded from his ministers "collegiality", because "there is no individual success", and "efficiency".

For him, "a good part of the democratic crisis is linked to the fact that decisions do not arrive quickly enough in the lives of our compatriots". He called on his ministers to "redouble their energy so that efficiency is there, that life changes for real" for the French. He therefore asked them to "direct their administrations", because "being a minister is not about talking in the post, it is about implementing decisions which correspond to a strategy". He encouraged them to redouble their efforts to accelerate decision-making and bring about the change expected by citizens.

GIGANTIC RIOTS IN FRENCH CITIES AND SUBURBS

An appalling record

Burned bus, stoned tram, burnt cars, town hall or school targeted... new urban violence punctuated the night from Friday to Saturday in Paris, Lyon, Grenoble, Saint-Étienne or Annecy, but also smaller towns, after the death de Nahel, 17, killed by police shooting in Nanterre on Tuesday. In Saône-et-Loire, Mâcon, Le Creusot, Montceau-les-Mines and Chalon-sur-Saône saw "clashes between law enforcement and troublemakers, who set fire to garbage cans and vehicles,” the prefecture said in a statement.

According to the latest report from the ministry, established at 11 a.m. this Saturday, July 1, 2023, there were 1,311 arrests at the national level, including 406 in the Paris region. Still according to the ministry, in Vaulx-en-Velin (Rhône) four police officers were injured by police shotgun fire, two had bruises and two suffered impacts on the nose and thigh. A total of 79 police and gendarmes were injured. This report also reports 2,560 fires on public roads and 1,350 vehicle fires, as well as 266 fires or damage to buildings, including 26 town halls, 24 schools and five justice establishments. Earlier, the ministry reported 31 attacks on police stations, 16 attacks on municipal police stations and 11 gendarmerie barracks.

Added to this: according to a report mentioned by the Minister of the Interior during an interministerial council, "there were 3,880 fires on the public highway" Thursday evening. The day before, there were 2,391 , says Gérald Darmanin. “Many buildings were hit, 492, last night, including 77 targeted attacks on police stations and gendarmerie brigades,” insists the minister. In addition, nearly 2,000 vehicles were burned last night, compared to 800 on Wednesday evening.

Since the start of the urban violence, "at least ten shopping centers have been attacked and looted, as well as more than 200 large retailers", but also "250 bank branches", listed the Minister of Economy.

Foreign countries worried about their nationals

The German government is watching “with some concern what is happening in France,” German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said of the riots on Friday.

Norway, for its part, on Friday called on its nationals currently in France to avoid crowd gatherings because of the violence that is shaking the country "There have been riots in several places in France in recent days, including in Paris" , writes the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in an SMS sent to Norwegian travelers who have registered on an app from the authorities. The United States has followed suit...

DEATH OF NAHEL INSURRECTIONS IN

THE FRENCH SUBURBS WHITE MARKET

BECOME CONQUEST MARKET ?

A solution to "appease" the spirits in these turbulent times and obtain a "return to calm" quickly. Since Tuesday, June 27, an insurrection resounds every night in the cities of the surrounding suburbs. The mayor of Garges-lès-Gonesse also called for "everyone's responsibility" in order to stop the riots. For this Thursday evening, 40,000 police and gendarmes will be mobilized in France, including 5,000 in Paris according to Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin.

Rioters burn schools, police stations or town halls, loot shops and distributors. Calls for police murders in 2023. A youth casts shame on an entire function with calls for murders. A white march with Algerian flags of 6000 demonstrators which turns into a march of conquest for some and scenes of devastation and riots from 3 p.m.

Understanding people are arsonists. LFI adds fuel to the fire and they become "moral accomplices" according to the Minister of Justice Dupont-Moretti. Violence finally described as "unjustifiable" by President Macron.

“There is a political divide. A right Lola / Annecy opposes a left Naël. Lola was the symbol of uncontrolled immigration, because the murderess should not have been in France. For the "Rebellious", Naël is the emblem of the police who kill. Added to this political divide is an ethno- cultural divide. Malika Sorel spoke yesterday in Le Figaro about identity decomposition: behind the violence, she observes the “rejection of a society whose [the neighborhood rioters] do not wish to respect the laws or the habits and customs. We are therefore far from the only case of Naël.

Can we understand emotion?

Emotion, yes. Violence no. Understanding people are arsonists. In France it is justice that sanctions. “, hammers the journalist Elisabeth Lévy in Causeur.

2024 OLYMPIC GAMES MORE NEGATIVE THAN POSITIVE IMPACTS FOR PARIS ?

Infrastructure already ready, or almost

In the area of ​​infrastructure, Paris is already prepared, or at least almost, even before the Games begin. Indeed, nearly 95% of the equipment needed for the 2024 Games has already been erected.

More specifically, it remains mainly to finalize the construction of an aquatic center as well as the Olympic village, which will later be transformed into housing, located in the municipality of L'Île-Saint-Denis.
Given that France remains the world's leading tourist destination, the reception of spectators and visitors is also fully assured.

According to estimates by Bureau Veritas, France is able to simultaneously accommodate more than 1 million tourists in its hotels, thus having 470,000 rooms. It should be noted that "a third of the 155,000 rooms in Île-de-France will be reserved for the Olympics", underlines the study, highlighting the fact that 60% of French hotel establishments have a classification of 3 to 5 stars.
The quality of transport networks is also highlighted. The launch of the Grand Paris Express project, described as "one of the largest projects in the world" by the firm of experts, with its 68 new stations and 200 kilometers of new metro lines, will allow, in the next fifteen years, to halve the travel time between Roissy and Orly airports. These infrastructures contribute to reinforce the compactness of the sites, given that most of the competitions will take place within a radius of 10 kilometers.

The end of mismanagement ?

Since Paris is almost ready, she can hope to minimize the financial damage, which is a crucial point. Indeed, most of the previous editions have resulted in considerable losses. This was the case for Athens in 2000, Beijing in 2008, London in 2012, Sochi in 2014 and Rio de Janeiro in 2016. In October 2016, Rome decided to withdraw, mainly due to the decision of Virginia Raggi, the new mayor of the city elected four months earlier, not to "compromise the future of his city".
On the surface, funding is secure and expenses will be under control. Indeed, the overall budget will amount to approximately 6.6 billion euros. An organizational budget of 3.6 billion euros, called the "Cojo budget" (Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games),

This budget will not be financed by public funds, but by income from the IOC, ticketing and the marketing program (1 billion euros). It aims to cover the accommodation and catering costs of the athletes, as well as the temporary installations which will be dismantled after the Games.
As for the budget excluding Cojo, intended for the construction of the infrastructures that will remain after the Games, it is estimated at 3 billion euros. Half of this amount comes from private funds, while the other half comes from public investment, of which 1 billion euros will be paid by the State.

This budget will finance the Olympic village, the cost of which is estimated at 1.2 billion euros and which will be transformed into an eco-district after the event. It will also cover expenses related to the nautical center (108 million euros), the construction of footbridges in Seine-Saint-Denis, the development of an interchange on the A86 in Saint-Denis, as well as burying high voltage lines

When the costs exceed the benefits

 According to a study published in June 2016 by the Center for Sports Law and Economics (CDES) in Limoges, the impact of the Games in Paris could be around 5.3 to 10.7 billion euros on the capital and the Ile-de-France region. Compared to the French GDP, this therefore remains measured.

Although under certain favorable conditions it seems possible to obtain a boost in the local economy, studies on the economic impact of GESI above all illustrate the way in which the costs almost always exceed the benefits, leading economists to evoke the "curse of winner" of the Olympic bid. In fact, economic impact studies do not distinguish between winners and losers: they simply measure whether there is a monetary gain.

Many Olympiads present the case of a public expenditure whose debt for the taxpayer has stretched over several decades, like the Games in Montreal in 1976 or Rome in 1960.

If the protesters denounce a waste of public funds for projects that would not have sufficient social utility, the choice to apply for a major international sporting event (GESI) would be justified for others by the promise of an economic heritage. and social sustainability that will benefit everyone.

A mixed lasting impact on the lives of Parisians

The impact of the Olympic Games can also have repercussions on the daily life of Parisians. Studies have assessed factors such as sense of belonging, happiness and satisfaction. The 2012 London Olympics were instructive in this regard, highlighting both elements of pride and well-being, as well as potential harms, depending on the contexts and populations studied.
The issue of social cohesion and local identity is also addressed.

The Olympics are meant to help break down social barriers and encourage the development of interpersonal relationships. However, these moments of identity communion can be ephemeral and sometimes lead to divisions and feelings of exclusion, as was observed during Euro 2016 in certain Parisian districts with little involvement in the event.
An increase in physical activity?

Another aspect to consider is the impact on physical activity. The 2012 London Olympics were accompanied by an effort to promote physical activity and sport, with mixed results. Some articles and surveys point to slightly positive effects (the rate of inactivity – less than 30 minutes per week – going from 29% to 27% between 2012 and 2021), while reporting an increase in inequalities between population categories . Ten years later, childhood obesity remains a major public health problem in England, including in the neighborhoods bordering the Olympic sites.

What could we expect from London 2012, a two-week event, in terms of developing sports practice?

If public policies are not able to meet the challenges related to food, lifestyle, lack of space and equipment, as well as the development of means of transport such as walking or cycling , so what can we really expect from such events? In July 2022, Sport England highlighted that hosting big events is not enough to drive long-term behavior change nationwide.

It's up to Paris 2024 to learn from these past experiences so as not to repeat the same mistakes.

STRIKE OF JUNE 6 MOBILIZATION AT THE LOWEST

The examination, Thursday, June 8, 2023, of the Liot bill aimed at canceling the decline in the legal age of departure to 64 years was not enough to mobilize: in most cities, the processions had never been so little provided since the beginning of the social movement in January.

In Paris, there are – according to the CGT – 300,000 demonstrators who demanded the abandonment of the reform, the first implementing decrees of which have already been promulgated, 31,000 according to the police headquarters. A low also reached on February 11 and March 11, according to the central.

During the previous day of mobilization on May 1, the latter had counted 550,000 opponents in the streets of the capital, against 112,000 for the police headquarters – figures very far from the Parisian record of March 23 (800,000 for the CGT , 119,000 for the police).

Weakest ever recorded

This decline is also observed on a national scale, with “more than 900,000” demonstrators throughout France according to the CGT and only 281,000 according to the Ministry of the Interior. Figures very far from those given during the mobilization peak of March 7 (between 1.3 and 3.5 million according to Place Beauvau or the unions),

"The match is ending, whether we like it or not, with this unknown of what will happen Thursday at the Assembly," admitted Laurent Berger on Tuesday.

The number one of the CFDT called on the unions to "weigh in the balance of power to come" on other subjects such as wages or working conditions.

ADOPTION OF THE RECOVERY LAW

NUCLEAR BY SENATORS

“It is a new energy pact that we are building”, rejoiced the Minister for Energy Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher.

The text on the relaunch of nuclear power is indeed part of the government's strategy of reducing the energy consumption of the French, facilitating the development of renewable energies and nuclear power.

The text had been adopted at first reading in the Senate at the end of January and in the National Assembly at the end of March, before being sent to the joint joint committee (CMP) to build a compromise text between parliamentarians.

The CMP, bringing together seven deputies and seven senators on May 4, reached an agreement on the nuclear stimulus bill, which aims to facilitate the construction of six new EPR reactors promised by Emmanuel Macron by 2035.

The CMP underlined the maintenance of most of the provisions that it had introduced in the text along four axes.

In terms of energy planning, she cites the removal of "three obstacles to the revival of nuclear energy resulting from the 2015 'Energy Transition' law" - repeal of the objective of reducing nuclear energy to 50% and of the ceiling of authorization of 63.2 gigawatts (GW) and obligation for the government to revise the multiannual energy program (PPE) to withdraw the trajectory for the closure of the 14 existing reactors (article 1 A). The next "five-year energy law" will also have to set an objective for the construction of EPR2s and SMRs and specify the means to achieve it (article 1)

Nuclear safety and security

The committee also considers that it has strengthened nuclear safety and security through several provisions – integration of resilience to climate change in the safety demonstration of reactors, both at the licensing and review stage, and cyber-resilience, in their protection against malicious acts (article 9 bis), maintenance of a five-year report on nuclear safety within the framework of the review (article 9).

Instead of a merger deemed "badly assessed and badly anticipated" of the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) and the Institute for Nuclear Safety and Nuclear Radiation Protection (IRSN) as envisaged by the government, it consolidated the powers and resources of ASN (articles 11 to 11 ter and 15). Penalties for trespassing on nuclear power plant sites have also been increased and supplemented (Article 13).

Nuclear revival

The project aims to speed up town planning procedures and facilitate administrative procedures to launch the construction of six EPR 2 nuclear reactors, then to consider the construction of eight others. The first concrete is expected for 2027, hope the defenders of its revival.

On Tuesday, 315 senators voted in favor of the work that came out of it. The 12 senators from the ecologist group (Ecology, solidarity and territories - GEST), as well as one from the socialist group (Socialist, ecologist and republican - SER) positioned themselves against, while the 15 from the communist group (Communist, republican, citizen and ecologist — CRCE) abstained.

Environmentalists up in arms

Far from being an acceptable compromise for environmentalists, the bill as it emerges from the work of the CMP "moves even further away from democratic and environmental imperatives", they denounced in a press release.

On the merits, Mr. Salmon deplored the removal of the objectives of reduction and/or contraction of nuclear power in the French energy mix. So many locks that had to be removed, rather argue the defenders of the text.

The senator is also alarmed by the partial consideration of the effects of climate change on the existing and new nuclear fleet and the downward revision, by the government, of the data on the use by the nuclear fleet of water resources. .

For the left, the redevelopment of nuclear power runs counter to the EU's need for energy independence and its climate objectives.

As for the Communists, the latter abstained, although the president of the group Fabien Gay, reminded the podium that his group was "favorable to the development of new nuclear reactors".

But according to him, the text presented in the chamber "does not address any of the structural questions that are essential to the objectives assigned to it", noting the shortcomings in terms of financing, training, etc.

Conversely, among those who voted in favor of the bill, the senators of the group affiliated with the presidential majority (Rally of Democrats, Progressives and Independents - RDPI) note that it allows "one more step to concretize the President Emmanuel Macron's project to strengthen our sovereignty and make France the first major country in the world to get out of its dependence on fossil fuels".

For supporters of nuclear power, its very low CO2 rate - four times less than solar power, for example - makes it an essential energy for the low-carbon transition. Nuclear power avoids the release of 2 billion tons of CO2 each year worldwide, the equivalent of the production of 400 million cars.

The conclusions of the CMP will be examined Tuesday, May 16 by the deputies. The latter had voted by a large majority in favor of the text during the first reading.

MAJOR MOBILIZATION AND VIOLENCE IN THE MAY 1 PROTESTS

The police thus counted 16,300 demonstrators in Caen (40,000 according to the CGT), 11,000 in Marseille (130,000), 13,500 in Toulouse (100,000), 15,000 in Brest (33,000), 14,000 in Clermont- Ferrand (25,000), or 2,000 in Charleville-Mézières (4,500). A total of 782,000 people demonstrated across the country, including 112,000 in Paris, the interior ministry said. Last year, 116,500 people marched in France, including 24,000 in Paris, according to the Interior Ministry.

Clashes broke out between demonstrators and the police in several cities and 180 people were arrested, including 46 in Paris. the forces of order and stoned windows.

Hundreds of "black blocks" in Paris

On the other hand, the parades were marked by sometimes violent clashes in several cities in France, and mainly in Paris, Nantes and Lyon. “In many cities in France, May Day was a moment of responsible mobilization and commitment. The scenes of violence on the sidelines of the processions are all the more unacceptable. Support for our law enforcement,” Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne tweeted.

108 police officers and gendarmes injured and 291 arrests in France.

"If the vast majority of demonstrators were pacifists of course, in Paris, Lyon and Nantes in particular, the police face extremely violent thugs who came with one objective: to kill cops and attack the property of others”, for his part denounced on the same social network the Minister of the Interior. In Paris, "a police officer was seriously injured, burned following a Molotov cocktail jet", continued Gérald Darmanin, who then reported 108 police officers and gendarmes injured and 291 arrests in France.

In the capital, the violence intensified when the pre-cortège arrived at Place de la Nation, the end of the parade. Hundreds of "black blocks" notably used fireworks in direct fire at the police, who responded with a lot of tear gas and defensive grenades. The police headquarters reported in the evening 111 arrests and 25 injured among the police, including 24 taken to hospital.

In Nantes, the clashes, which lasted a good part of the afternoon, left five injured, including a gendarme and a demonstrator hit in the hand, according to the prefecture. The authorities have also reported 54 arrests in Lyon, 31 in Besançon or 23 in Bordeaux.

" It's a big May Day. It's not a last stand"

"We have a historic May Day, I can say that." Even before the departure of the Parisian procession, Laurent Berger welcomed the mobilization everywhere in France for this May 1, marked by the protest against the pension reform. "This great success of the mobilization shows the rejection of the reform and the aspiration of the workers to be considered differently by the government", added the boss of the CFDT.

"It's a big May 1st. It's not a last stand, it's the challenge of the world of work to this reform", rejoiced the leader of the CFDT Laurent Berger. "This May 1st is one of the strongest of the social movement", added the general secretary of the CGT, Sophie Binet.

The figures were in fact well beyond a classic May Day, even if it was not the "tidal wave" hoped for by the unions.

Sophie Binet, new secretary general of the CGT, also underlined that in addition to the rejection of the pension reform, the demonstrators were marching to obtain wage increases and responses to the environmental crisis. "No return to normal" without withdrawal of the reform. This is what the new boss of the CGT, Sophie Binet, has promised. She believes that this new day of demonstrations can serve to show the government that opponents of the reform "will not move on until [the text] is withdrawn".

The strength of this mobilization will influence the continuation of the opposition movement to the two-year extension of the retirement age, its form and its timetable. Laurent Berger indicated that the next day, Tuesday May 2, the inter-union will meet to take stock.

She will also have to determine the conditions for a possible new meeting with Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, to whom a united trade union front has so far presented. Laurent Berger said he was ready to discuss whether the Prime Minister invites the unions, adding that the trade unions had an interest in continuing to work as an inter-union

It is indeed the first unit parade since 2009. The last unit parade with the eight main unions dates back to 2009, in the face of the financial crisis (the CGT had counted nearly 1.2 million demonstrators, the police 456,000). In 2002 (1.3 million people, according to the Ministry of the Interior), the unions had also united to "block" Jean-Marie Le Pen between the two rounds of the presidential election.

The RN gathers in Le Havre. Marine Le Pen's National Rally is expecting around 1,400 of its activists on Monday in Le Havre (Seine-Maritime), a way to relaunch its traditional May Day celebration formerly dedicated to Joan of Arc, now renamed "Fête de la nation" and oriented towards "social peace".

The week could be decisive on a subject that has dominated all debates for several months. The Constitutional Council must give its response on Wednesday to the second bill tabled by the Nupes to organize a referendum of shared initiative (RIP) on pensions. The first request had been rejected.

"There are two appointments coming up," recalls Laurent Berger. The decision of the Constitutional Council on May 3 and the bill filed on June 8 by the Liot group. He does not believe in a government retreat today. That would be "naive".

But "if the Constitutional Council grants the holding of a referendum of shared initiative, then the government will have to put its reform on hold".

In the meantime, the challenge for the intersyndicale will be to remain united as differences begin to emerge in the face of invitations from the executive to resume dialogue on other work-related subjects.

FRANCE EXPULSION OF CLANDESTINE ALIENS

IN MAYOTTE

"The port of Mutsamudu (on the Comorian island of Anjouan) is unable to operate on the embarkation and disembarkation of passengers from this day until April 26, 2023, the date on which we will inform you of the “possible resumption of operations”, announced the maritime services in a note addressed to a shipping company and of which AFP had a copy. "As long as the French side decides to do things unilaterally, we will take our responsibilities. No deportee will return to a port under Comorian sovereignty," said Comorian Interior Minister Fakridine Mahamoud.

Operation Wuambushu aims to expel illegal foreigners mainly from neighboring Comoros in Mayotte.

A plan hailed by local elected officials who repeatedly point to the increase in delinquency.

Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin confirmed on Friday a series of police interventions against delinquency and illegal immigration in Mayotte, called "Wambushu", in the 101st French department located in the Indian Ocean.

Gérald Darmanin, affirmed the holding of a "long-term" operation, called "Wambushu" (resumption, in Mahoran), validated by Emmanuel Macron in the Defense Council, according to a source familiar with the matter.

The Minister of the Interior denied a launch on Monday and for a period of two months, advanced by the press. "There is not a moment when we start it and a moment when we finish it", he added, even affirming that the operation had "already started".

2,500 staff mobilized

"There are 1,800 police and gendarmes right now in Mayotte who are carrying out police operations, which are putting an end to arms trafficking, which are putting an end to criminal gangs", of which 60 have been counted, he said.

In total, more than 2,500 personnel (law enforcement, regional health agency, justice, health reserve) are mobilized, according to a source familiar with the matter.

This operation must include mass expulsions of illegal aliens and destruction of slums. In Mayotte, slums extend over several kilometres. These hundreds of homes are inhabited by hundreds of illegal immigrants from neighboring Comoros. It is precisely these people who are targeted by the expulsion operation named Wuambushu.

More than 150,000 illegal immigrants

Mayotte, which became the 101st French department in 2011, attracts thousands of migrants every year, arriving by sea in "kwassa kwassa", makeshift boats, from the neighboring Comorian island of Anjouan, but also from West Africa. Great Lakes and increasingly Madagascar.

Nearly half of the estimated 350,000 inhabitants of Mayotte do not have French nationality, according to INSEE, but a third of foreigners were born on the island. In its February 2019 report, INSEE indicated that between "significant immigration from the Comoros" and the departure of "natives of Mayotte abroad", 48% of the department's population was foreign in 2017, a figure up 8% from 2012.

Insecurity and "non-standard" delinquency.

These illegal migrants, settled in particularly unhealthy neighborhoods, "bangas" prey to violence and trafficking, live for the most part quietly on the island, occupying small jobs.

The minors are educated. But they are also accused by the population and the elected officials of unbalancing the few infrastructures and resources of the island and of feeding a rate of delinquency Several operations called "decasing", sometimes carried out by inhabitants of the island themselves formed into militias, have already taken place since 2016.

The Operation is also hailed by local elected officials who denounce acts of daily delinquency. "This operation is already finding a solution inside the island to identify and locate these people and drive them back to the border," explains the mayor of Bandrélé (Mayotte). This year, personal attacks have increased by 50%.

In its report "Living environment and security in Mayotte" of November 2021, INSEE indeed describes "exceptional delinquency". Over the period 2018-2019, in each area – burglaries, thefts, physical or sexual violence… – Mahoran crime clearly exceeds the figures for mainland France.

"The inhabitants of Mayotte are personally three times more victims of thefts with or without violence", indicates INSEE, and the feeling of insecurity "far exceeds all the standards of the metropolis or other Drom (Departments and regions of Overseas)". 48% of Mahorais feel insecure at home (52% in their neighborhood), five to six times more than in France. All of these numbers are increasing year after year.

10,000 illegal aliens targeted

The archipelago of Mayotte is the department where the National Rally signed its highest score in the first round of the presidential election. Marine Le Pen won 59.10% of the vote there, far ahead of the other candidates, but also very far from her 2017 score. In a department plagued by insecurity and illegal immigration, the RN seduces.

The operation could target up to 10,000 illegal aliens. Some should be deported to a neighboring island.

Comoros "does not intend to welcome deportees"

The authorities of the Comoros, who still claim their sovereignty over Mayotte, which remained French after the independence of the Comoros in 1974, are up against this operation. The Comoros "do not intend to welcome deportees" said the government spokesman on Friday.

The Comoros have nevertheless committed in an agreement signed in 2019 to "cooperate" with Paris on immigration issues in exchange for development aid of 150 million euros.

EMMANUEL MACRON'S VISIT TO CHINA ENDED A DIPLOMATIC FAILURE

According to Marc Julienne, head of China activities at the Asia center of Ifri, nothing went as planned for the French head of state.

For Emmanuel Macron, this state visit is an opportunity to heal the wounds of a degraded Franco-Chinese relationship. The causes are multiple, starting with the Covid-19. China sees us as a middle power, with difficulties. Added to this the imbalance in the trade balance, the deterioration of Sino-American relations and recently the war in Ukraine, the time of the "friend Chirac" seems a long way off.

In addition, France claims to be a leading power in Europe, a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a driving force in the "Indo-Pacific". However, it remains deaf and dumb in the face of the paramount security issue in this region, namely stability in the Taiwan Strait.

The Elysée had let it be known that the question would not be broached, except at the initiative of China, a rather surprising attitude when the French president had been warned before his trip that it was going to coincide with an interview on Wednesday evening on the American soil between Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and the Speaker of the American House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy, a "hawk" in the American political apparatus, in favor of more vigorous measures to "contain" the rise of China on the international scene.

This meeting did not fail to arouse the wrath of Beijing, the question of Taiwan therefore being on the agenda of Emmanuel Macron's visit.

Diplomatic failure on Ukraine

President Macron intended above all to try to drive a wedge between China and Russia over Ukraine: this is the avowed objective of the French president for his three-day state visit to the People's Republic of China. But Emmanuel Macron failed.

Indeed, Emmanuel Macron, who came with the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, is making this trip at a critical time from the point of view of China's strategic positioning.

On the one hand, President Xi Jinping has multiplied the signs of strategic rapprochement with Vladimir Putin: his state visit to Moscow on March 21-22 shortly after the announcement of the issuance of an arrest warrant against its host by the International Criminal Court, made an impression; his “peace plan” for Ukraine appeared as a backing for the Russian security agenda; and the development of trade with a Russia under multifaceted international sanctions constitutes an objective alliance with the Russian economy.

During the face-to-face meeting Thursday, April 6, 2023 with the master of Communist China in a hall of the People's Palace on the edge of Tiananmen Square, the latter replied to him by welcoming the links with France which have, according to him, known a “positive and steady development” in a world in “profound change”.

Quoted by the English-language Hong Kong daily, the South China Morning Post, Xi was a little more outspoken: "China is keen to invite the international community, together with France, to remain rational and measured and to avoid taking any action that could lead to further escalation in the crisis and spiral out of control. » The most vague formulas which do not commit to anything on what Xi Jinping wants and especially on what Xi Jinping will be able to do with Vladimir Putin to try to "bring him back to reason".

On the commercial level, a more positive balance sheet.

The European group Airbus has indeed obtained the ability to double its aircraft production capacity in China, thanks to a second assembly line at its Tianjin site, near Beijing. It is due to enter service in the second half of 2025. Airbus has already had one since 2008, which has produced more than 600 A320s. The Chinese airline market is the second largest in the world.

The energy group EDF, for its part, renewed with the Chinese nuclear giant CGN their global partnership agreement, in force since 2007. It covers the design, construction and operation of nuclear power plants. This agreement notably allowed EDF to operate nuclear power plants. This agreement notably enabled EDF to build with CGN the only EPR facility currently in service in the world, in Taishan, in southern China.

But this cannot make us forget that thanks to the massive transfers of technology from France, China now masters all the technology in this sector, to the point of exporting power plants to the detriment of the more expensive French power plants.

As for the Marseille shipowner CMA-CGM, number three in the world, it has signed an agreement with Cosco, the Chinese number one, and the port of Shanghai for the supply of bio-methanol. The champion of water and waste management Suez has obtained a contract via a consortium for a seawater desalination project, the amount of which has not been specified.

In 2019, Suez had already won a contract worth one billion euros to treat wastewater from a chemical industrial site in China for a period of 50 years.

Signing contracts for French companies is profitable. But here again, Emmanuel Macron has evaded a very serious subject of concern for France and Europe: the trade deficit with China. Ursula von der Leyen recalled the unequal access to the Chinese market due to protectionism...

If this visit is presented in Beijing and Paris as a success, obviously it is not one. "It's a failure on the diplomatic scene, costly in terms of image", judge the researcher Marc Julienne.

The French president also wanted to embody a "third way" between the United States and China No doubt Paris and Brussels are willing to play an intermediary role between China and the United States.

But the "Taiwanese trap" shows the extent of the difficulties that remain with a Chinese partner which, although seriously weakened by years of catastrophic management of Covid-19, declining economic growth, plummeting demography and a facto of Western and Asian countries allied with the United States and determined to face up, is not yet at the stage where Europe could dictate its will.

MOBILIZATION AGAINST DROPING PENSION REFORM

THE "BORDELIZATION" OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

The elected officials of the Nation seem to have a field day during the very stormy debates on the pension reform project.

It is Minister Olivier Dussopt whom the rebellious deputy of Hauts-de-Seine Aurélien Saintoul describes as "murderer".

It is Thomas Portes who proudly displays himself, tricolor scarf on his shoulder, his foot on a ball bearing the effigy of the same Dussopt. It was Louis Boyard who exploded when a Renaissance deputy asked him to calm down at the end of a session:

"What's the matter with you ? Come ! Come !"

"Bordelization" - the expression is from the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin - within the lower house leaves more than one perplexed to such an extent that some of LFI, among others, François Ruffin, Clémentine Autain etc., dissociate troublemakers.

The qualities of eloquence were particularly valued for politicians at the time of great orators such Gambetta, Clemenceau...

Insults, intimidation, insulting remarks...were little accepted insofar as they contrasted with the restraint and calm that the Republicans then intended to impose on their speeches and on the manifestations of emotions, conceived as pledges of an "ethics of civic respect and democratic debate".

Léon Gambetta, Jules Ferry, Jean Jaurès, Aristide Briand, Léon Blum… who were nevertheless violently insulted, therefore generally refused to respond on the same level.

In this context, and therefore, at least when it is public, insult, which moreover remains repressed by the press law of 1881, constitutes a form of transgression, a breach of the norms of political well-being. .

So why use insult ?

Doesn't it want to be the weapon of the outsiders ?

Faced with the anger caused by the tweet of Thursday February 9, 2023 from the majority, the right and the RN who summoned him to apologize, Thomas Portes appeared. "I will never give up in front of the bourgeois," he blurted out as he left the hemicycle to his dumbfounded Nupes allies.

The insult thus appears clearly as the weapon of the political outsider fitting into a veritable strategy of scandalization. It allows you to set yourself up as the mouthpiece of the "real" people reduced to silence in the assemblies...

The ways of doing politics have changed under the effect of increased media coverage and the individualization of the political field, which emphasizes singularity more than exemplary or representativeness, and which values ​​a certain exhibition of feelings more than emotional restraint.

But already in 1885, the pamphleteer Henri Rochefort, founder of L'Intransigeant, a socialist newspaper which gradually evolved towards Boulangism, claimed in an interview for Le Matin (October 3, 1885) his desire to undermine political theater and the rules of the game laid down by the establishments?

"The Palais-Bourbon had been transformed into an old-age hospice, where everyone sleeps; now, my duty is to wake up the residents of this branch of Sainte-Périne. […]. And when, at the Palais Bourbon, we'll talk to Ferry, there won't be any more “Mr. President of the Council” as big as his arm, we'll go under his nose, we'll shake his bridle and we can call him “assassin”. parliamentary formulas will have had their day".

Now, ladies and gentlemen, get to work !

WHAT ABOUT DIFFICULTY IN THE PENSION REFORM ?

The day after a first day of major mobilization in the face of the reform – more than a million demonstrators across France according to the authorities, 2 million according to the CGT – the executive insists on the fact that the text is still negotiable.

But there is no question of questioning the overall philosophy of the bill, as the text is about to be debated in Parliament. The Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire, insisted this Friday, January 20 on the "two essential pillars of the reform": the increase in the number of years of contribution to 43 annuities to benefit from a pension at full rate and raising the legal retirement age to 64.

“They must be preserved because they guarantee this financial balance by 2030, supports the tenant of Bercy on BFMTV. There can always be improvements to this text but I set only one limit: to guarantee financial equilibrium by 2030. All openings and discussions are interesting but they must fall within this financial framework. »

Two talking points

Gabriel Attal, Minister of Public Accounts, for his part opened the door to very targeted discussions. “We can still progress and enrich our project on two subjects. One, the chopped quarries [...]. Second thing, the employment of seniors, we can probably go further, ”recalls the former government spokesperson.

Gabriel Attal explains that “leave to help a loved one or a child with a disability” was not taken into account in the “long career” system provided for by the pension reform. "During periods when the French had to stop working for reasons suffered, perhaps we can enrich things," explains the minister.

Same observation on the question of the employment of seniors: "A lot has been done to make it progress. We can probably go further", admits Gabriel Attal, who recalls that the government wishes to set up a "senior index" to encourage companies to employ more employees over 55 years of age. “These are very concrete elements that we can continue to enrich through discussion,” insists the Minister.

But the project for the future of the pension system includes measures to prevent professional wear and tear. During the reform presentation on Tuesday, January 10, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne insisted on this point.

What about hardship at work ?

Four avenues are currently being considered by the government for physical or repetitive jobs: the creation of an investment fund of one billion euros for the prevention of professional wear and tear; the implementation of reinforced medical monitoring for employees with a difficult job; the possibility of financing retraining leave; the extension of the professional prevention account (C2P) to more employees and with more rights.

This famous C2P, born of "Macron orders", had replaced in 2017 the term "difficulty" in "professional risk factors" and had removed 4 factors (heavy loads, painful postures, mechanical vibrations and chemical risks) from the previous system, the personal hardship prevention account (C3P). But in December 2022, the Court of Auditors presented this C2P as “an unambitious and uncontrolled device” in its thematic public report on public policies in occupational health in companies.

Shouldn't we then also rethink with the social partners this precise point which stumbling blocks for long careers?

Work plays a determining role in the differences in life expectancy and health status between citizens. This finding is validated by numerous studies linking exposure to hardship factors with, in particular, early exit from employment, or state of health after 50 years. Disability-free life expectancy is also correlated with occupational categories.

However, the government refused to reinstate the 4 criteria excluded in 2017, while allowing, however, in the pension reform for employees exposed to heavy loads, painful postures and vibrations to benefit from new rights, each professional branch having to list the trades concerned. .. but subject to official recognition of incapacity. And this is where the shoe pinches: it creates a risk of mismatch between professions, some branches being able to recognize a profession as painful and others not.

One of the measures which should therefore only have a limited effect in order to avoid or reduce the evils of work.

The intersyndicale has announced a new mobilization date on January 31, 2023.

WISHES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM

 EMMANUEL MACRON TO CAREGIVERS

A reorganization of work in the hospital

Denouncing "hyper-rigidity" in the application of 35 hours and a system that "only works with overtime", Emmanuel Macron promised a reorganization of work in the hospital "by June 1" in order to to retain caregivers who leave and make the sector more attractive.

An increase in the number of medical assistants from 4,000 to 10,000

Created in 2018 to assist private doctors in order to allow them to receive more patients, there will be more medical assistants. “We now have nearly 4,000 medical assistants who have already signed a contract, which is a real success. (…) We must reach 10,000 by the end of next year”, announced the Head of State.

The end of fee-for-service pricing

Emmanuel Macron also announced the pure and simple "exit" from the much criticized fee-for-service pricing in hospitals from the next Social Security budget, in favor of financing on "public health objectives", negotiated " on a territorial scale”. “Many of the debates are tense around this famous activity-based pricing. (…) The method of remuneration (…) does not take unscheduled care into account. It poorly takes into account the more complex activities that are going to take time,” he said.

Doctors for all patients with chronic disease

From the end of 2023, the 600,000 people with a chronic illness without a doctor will be offered one. In the absence of a "treating doctor", they will have access to a "treating team" of caregivers from various disciplines.

Beyond the only chronic patients, the Minister of Health, François Braun, had already promised that, among the 6 million patients without a doctor, all those who wish would have one "by the end of the five-year period".

EXPLOSIVE RETURN WITH THE REFORM

RETIREMENTS

Faced with the unions united against raising the retirement age and the reluctance of the right to support retirement at 65, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne reiterated on Franceinfo on Tuesday that this threshold was "not a totem”, before a presentation of the pension reform on January 10. Several points remain to be clarified, in particular the postponement of the retirement age to 64 or 65 or even the French who will benefit from an increase in their pension to reach 1,200 euros.

The postponement of the retirement age to 65, “it is not a totem, I repeat. There are other solutions that will allow us to achieve balance in our pension system by 2030”. This is what Elisabeth Borne said on Tuesday, January 3.

The objective is “a presentation on January 10 then in the Council of Ministers on January 23 followed by debates in the National Assembly from the beginning of February. We would like the text to be voted on before the end of the first quarter for entry into force at the end of the summer, ”she explained.

Another certainty affirmed by the Prime Minister: “We will not go beyond the 43 years of contributions provided for in the Touraine reform to have a full pension”.

Similarly, "the threshold of 67 years we do not touch it", she said. This is the maximum age at which a French person can enjoy his retirement at full rate even when he does not have all his quarters.

Elisabeth Borne, however, was much more evasive regarding the amount of the minimum pension set at 1,200 euros by the pension reform, or 85% of the minimum wage.

Finally, when asked about a possible increase in the amount of employer or employee contributions, Elisabeth Borne assured that it was a "red line not to increase the cost of labor or even reduce it". "Lowering taxes for households and businesses is what has allowed us to create jobs", she assured, recalling that her "priority is full employment".

It will first be the secretary general of the CFDT, Laurent Berger, to be received at 3:30 p.m. by Élisabeth Borne. He will be followed by François Hommeril, president of the CFE-CGC, Frédéric Souillot, general secretary of FO and François Asselin, president of the CPME. On Wednesday, Cyril Chabanier, president of the CFTC), Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux, president of MEDEF, Jean-Christophe Repon, vice-president of the Union of local businesses (U2P) and its general secretary Pierre Burban, Laurent Escure, general secretary of the UNSA, and finally Philippe Martinez, general secretary of the CGT.

“What we want is to preserve our pay-as-you-go system”

If the government insists on the need to carry out "these consultations (which) are useful" to avoid a sling and major strike movements like those which had already paralyzed the country as in December 2019, it also hopes to win the support of the Republicans . Without them, for lack of an absolute majority in the National Assembly, the government would indeed be forced to use again Article 49.3 of the Constitution, which allows the adoption of a text without a vote.

By way of justification, Elisabeth Borne reaffirmed, on Tuesday, the need to carry out this reform. “Our pension system is structurally in deficit and it will be over the next few years. What we want to do is preserve our pay-as-you-go system at the heart of our social model. It is a system in which our assets finance the pensions of our retirees”. “However, we are living longer and longer so the number of active people compared to the number of retirees is constantly falling,” she recalled.

However, “there will be no extra money. All efforts will be used to finance pensions”, she assured, affirming that the revenues linked to the pension reform will not be used to finance “anything else”.

THE STRATEGIC ERROR OF PRESIDENT MACRON

ON NUCLEAR DETERRENCE

Should this warning from Emmanuel Macron on nuclear power also apply to Emmanuel Macron ?

On France 2 Tv, Wednesday evening October 12, 2022, the President of the Republic criticized the leaders who pour out too much, for his taste, on the risks of a nuclear war…

Before doing the same.

Invited to speak on international issues, the Head of State actually mentioned what could be - or not be - a French response to a Russian nuclear strike in Ukraine.

"Our doctrine is based on what are called the fundamental interests of the nation, and they are defined very clearly. That is not at all what would be at issue if there was a nuclear ballistic attack in Ukraine or in the region", he explained in front of Caroline Roux, even if it means revealing – a little – his game.

Because this answer, certainly convoluted, is surprising according to several observers and other specialists in these ultra-sensitive questions.

Should the Head of State have listened to his own advice and been less talkative about nuclear deterrence ?

A "necessary ambiguity", says the Elysée

In any case, this is the opinion of François Hollande, his predecessor at the Élysée.

"On the force of deterrence, credibility is to say nothing about what we will have to do (...). We must stop there", thus intimated the socialist on franceinfo, Thursday, the day after the intervention of the Head of State on France 2 Tv.

According to him, "we must be careful not to say anything to anyone who could trigger the weapon".

In short: a president should not say that if he wishes to preserve France's deterrent capacity.

Especially since the former tenant of the Élysée - and ex-chief of the armies -, never stingy with criticism of the current political staff, is not the only one to worry about the exit of the chief of the state. Several French specialists in defense issues are also wondering aloud.

"He was both too precise and not precise enough, evoking the French response to a nuclear strike in Ukraine, but also a strike in the region", judge for example Héloïse Fayet with 20 Minutes .

The researcher at Ifri's Security Studies Center says she is surprised to hear the Head of State speak of very clear "fundamental interests", while the doctrine mentions "vital interests", which must remain vague by essence.

Emmanuel Macron has "pushed very far, too much in my opinion, the slider towards clarity", believes for his part Bruno Tertrais, of the Foundation for Strategic Research (FRS).

“Any excess of precision allows the adversary to calculate too precisely the risks of such and such an initiative”, estimates the specialist in geopolitical questions in the columns of Figaro.

In this context, the Elysée defends itself from any imprudence. We praise, on the contrary, the tightrope walker position of Emmanuel Macron… without going into too much detail of his declarations and his doctrine on the matter.

An assumed artistic vagueness in the entourage of the Head of State, according to whom the latter has maintained "all the ambiguity that goes around deterrence."

"A necessary ambiguity", explained the Elysée, this Thursday evening. And probably scalable.

Macron, sole master on board

Nevertheless, the Head of State's comments on Wednesday evening raise several concrete issues. What, for example, does the "region" considered as outside our fundamental interests correspond to ?

The questions, "which do not call for any additional comment", remained unanswered on the side of the Élysée. A desire, no doubt, to re-thicken the vagueness that the main interested party has helped to lift.

Beyond these concrete strategic debates, the presidency wanted to insist on the fact that only Emmanuel Macron (who is also the chief of the armies) has a hand on this subject. "Deterrence is the responsibility of the Head of State, of his assessment at the moment T of what is necessary to safeguard our vital interests", specifies the Elysée, referring, among other things, to the speech of the President of the Republic of the month of February 2020 at the war school.

In other words: it is he who defines everything that nuclear deterrence is, from its doctrine to its use. Its pre-square.

But at a time when Vladimir Putin's threats are intensifying, the controversy linked to Emmanuel Macron's statements does not stop at the borders of France. According to the daily newspaper across the Channel The Telegraph, the British Secretary of Defense, Ben Wallace, regretted the exit of the French president, this Thursday, on the sidelines of a meeting of NATO ministers in Brussels.

His comments "reveal his hand", believes the British leader. As if, in poker, Emmanuel Macron showed his game to his opponent.

Still, the President of the Republic, criticized for his words, is not the only one to remove, on the merits, the possibility of recourse to atomic weapons. "Any nuclear attack against Ukraine will lead to a military response", certainly "so powerful that the Russian army will be annihilated", explained the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell, Thursday evening, at the end of the meeting in Brussels. But this response will be "not nuclear", he took care to specify.

Same thing or almost on the side of NATO, which considers "extremely remote" "the circumstances in which the organization could have to use nuclear weapons".

"The objective of NATO's nuclear deterrent is to deter any attack against the allies", underlined Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Which Ukraine, formally, is not.

THE INCURIA OF THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT

FACING STRIKES

Towards the requisition

Elisabeth Borne ordered yesterday "the requisition of the personnel essential to the operation of the depots" of the Esso-Exxonmobil group in order to put an end to the fuel shortages.

What the law says ? Pursuant to Article L2211-1 of the Defense Code, the State may order a requisition of persons or property "in the event of a threat relating in particular to a part of the territory, to a sector of national life or to a fraction Population ". In 2010, Nicolas Sarkozy had already ordered the requisition of refinery employees.

Without winning the case, the mobilization could however be a long-term one. “The CGT Chemistry Federation is undoubtedly one of the most combative CGT federations. There is no significant social movement without there being militant trade unionists who are determined to organize the mobilization”, underlines the historian Stéphane Sirot. Philippe Martinez will propose a new day of strike next week

Towards general mobilization ?

And in fact the leader of the CGT affirms on BFMTV / RMC that the decision of an interprofessional call to strike will be taken during the day. “We are going to propose a new call for a strike in all public companies,” said Philippe Martinez this morning. This day of strike and demonstrations could be held on Tuesday, October 18, day of mobilization of vocational high schools.

Mobilization has gained ground in refineries, but also in the nuclear industry. The movement, which has been going on at EDF since the end of September, is more discreet. At EDF, the mobilization extended Wednesday morning, at the call – as in oil – of the CGT (and FO). It now affects eight reactors in four nuclear power plants. Employees have indeed voted to strike in Cattenom, following the example of their colleagues from certain teams in Tricastin, Cruas and Bugey. In Gravelines, the employees voted to strike from October 13.

However, the movement could have serious consequences for electricity production at the height of winter. The context is already tense: a dozen power plants are shut down because of a corrosion problem and the authorities, fearing cuts in the event of a cold winter, are calling on the French and companies to reduce their consumption of kilowatt hours.

The impotence of the government

Bruno Le Maire calls on the CGT to "clarify its position": "The blocking of the whole country is unacceptable". The Minister of Economy and Finance speaks directly to the CGT, the second union of the TotalEnergies group.

“What does the CGT want ? salary negotiations ? It is acceptable. Blocking the whole country ? It is completely unacceptable,” said Bruno Le Maire on RTL.

On the side of the government, it is incompetence and impotence for lack of intelligence.

FRANCE THE EXPULSION OF THE IMAM

HASSAN IQUIOUSSEN VALIDATED BY THE COUNCIL

 OF STATE "A VICTORY FOR THE REPUBLIC"

On July 28, the Interior announced the upcoming expulsion of Hassan Iquioussen, based near Valenciennes (North) and operating via videos posted on social networks. The ministry criticized him for his closeness to the Muslim Brotherhood and "a proselytizing discourse inciting hatred and discrimination and carrying a vision of Islam contrary to the values ​​of the Republic".

In fact, remarks deemed anti-Semitic, favorable to the submission of women to men, or even pro-Sharia, were made by Hassan Iquioussen. He also campaigns for Muslims to structure themselves politically or via associations, in order to gradually impose their ideas in society.

The man, born in France 58 years ago but of Moroccan nationality, has also been on file S for eighteen months, revealed Gérald Darmanin.

After the announcement of his expulsion, his lawyer filed an appeal against the expulsion order. The administrative court had canceled the decision on August 5, pointing to a “disproportionate attack (on) private and family life” of the imam, father of five children and grandfather only fifteen grandchildren with French nationality.

The court recognized the “contentious remarks” about the women but noted that he had not uttered anti-Semitic words since 2014.

Gérald Darmanin said he was "surprised" by the decision to cancel the expulsion. By bringing his request to the Council of State, he had estimated that the institution “will apply the law. Either the law allows France to protect itself, or it does not allow it to be expelled and, in this case, the law will have to be changed to better defend the French”. He also accused Hassan Iquioussen of being "those who sow an atmospheric jihadism", a concept according to which ambient Islamist discourses or those flirting with doctrine favor the acting out of isolated individuals.

Imam Iquioussen, burkini in Grenoble but also, dissolutions of the Collective against Islamophobia in France and of the BarakaCity association : 

the jurisprudence of the Council of State, certainly in different files, displays a constancy in the defense of republican values.

THE CONTESTED VISIT OF MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN THE CROWN PRINCE OF SAUDI ARABIA TO FRANCE

He arrived in Greece on Tuesday July 26, 2022 for a two-day visit before a second stop in France, where he was received at the Elysee Palace on Thursday by Emmanuel Macron for a working dinner.

This meeting signs a little more the "rehabilitation" of the Saudi crown prince, less than two weeks after Joe Biden's visit to Saudi Arabia - and this famous "check fist" between the two men, which has earned much criticism from the American president , he who had yet declassified a damning report on the responsibility of the crown prince in the assassination of Jamal Khashogghi. The embarrassing investigator for the reigning family had been savagely suffocated and then cut with a saw at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul (Turkey), by a commando linked to the crown prince, according to the CIA investigation. Since then, MBS, a real strongman in the kingdom, had been almost quarantined by the capitals.

This was without counting the war in Ukraine which put the Gulf monarchies back at the center of the oil game destabilized by Western sanctions against Moscow. The “cold realpolitik” of this visit to Paris prevails over moral principles. The journalist Georges Malbrunot, specialist in the monarchy, thus specifies on franceinfo that the Kingdom is more than ever “essential and is even more so since the Ukrainian crisis. »,

Emmanuel Macron was also the first Western leader to visit Saudi Arabia last December. The French president had to do a balancing act by evoking the need to speak to the crown prince who represents the first country in golf, a key player in the region, while specifying that dialogue did not mean being complacent.

The war in Ukraine and the oil issue

First of all, there is the aspect related to energy issues. The EU needs the cooperation of the Gulf countries in energy matters. This file has already been at the heart of the visit of Mohammed ben Zayed, President of the United Arab Emirates, during his visit to Paris on July 18. Westerners want to convince Riyadh to open the floodgates of oil, of which the kingdom is one of the main producers, in order to lower prices. So far, the Saudi leader has refused to increase production to meet his commitment to OPEC, repeating that his country was at maximum capacity with little room for improvement. The Europeans are also trying to find other sources of supply in the absence of an increase in production.

Georges Malbrunot warns, however, "We risk being disappointed because Saudi Arabia is bound by certain commitments made within the framework of OPEC +, in which Vladimir Putin's Russia is located and with which Saudi Arabia maintains good relations. (...) Above all, Saudi Arabia has not invested enough in recent years in its oil production structures to be able to increase its production from 10 million barrels per day to 13 million, "he says. .

Files of Lebanon and Iran

Another particular file between France and Saudi Arabia concerns Lebanon immersed in a. dramatic economic and financial crisis. Paris particularly wants greater Saudi involvement in Lebanon. Iran is also a key point: the Iranian nuclear issue, at a time when talks between the great powers and Iran to revive the 2015 agreement have stalled. Saudi Arabia, Iran's arch-rival, fears Tehran will become a nuclear power and is increasingly worried about its activities in the region. The Saudis are therefore seeking to strengthen the political partnership with their main allies and benefit from their support at a time when concerns about the state of progress of the Iranian nuclear program are real.

Economic issues

Added to this are economic challenges for both countries. France intends to promote its know-how in the Kingdom which is engaged in a race against time to succeed in its diversification. The ambition is to build a “new Arabia” that is more prosperous, more liberal, more connected and open to the world. French companies therefore wish to benefit from the many opportunities of the Vision 2030 plan, which aims to prepare the country for the post-oil era by promoting new growth sectors. French expertise is appreciated; this is particularly the case of the Al-'Ula project, a Nabataean site listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the enhancement and development of which have been entrusted to French players.

For its part, Saudi Arabia intends to invest in the French economic recovery plan. Arabia is indeed a great financial power. The Saudi Public Investment Fund aims to become the largest sovereign wealth fund in the world and manage more than 2,000 billion dollars by 2030 thanks to the revenues generated by hydrocarbons and privatizations. The country's financial institutions as well as private groups are interested in investing in French groups as part of the recovery plan.

What about human rights ?

Still, the image of France can take a hit: according to Abdullah Alaoudh, director for the Gulf region of the organization Democracy for the Arab World Now founded by Jamal Khashoggi, this visit to France is "a dishonor". The reaction, this Wednesday, of Amnesty International, considering that "France turns a blind eye" to "all human rights violations", shows that the bet is risky. Especially since the visit last week of the President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohammed bin Zayed, had already caused an outcry.

Vis-à-vis these two leaders of the Gulf, the diplomats of the Élysée prefer to emphasize the dynamic of "openness", in which they engage their country, rather than on the repressive aspects of freedom...

SALAH ABDESLAM CASE NOVEMBER 13

SEVEN LIFE SENTENCES

The court followed the National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor's Office (Pnat) which on June 10 had requested the maximum sentence against Salah Abdeslam. The five magistrates sentence this 32-year-old Franco-Moroccan to life imprisonment, incompressible. He will therefore have to serve at least thirty years in prison before being able to request the lifting of this incompressible perpetuity, a prelude to any request for adjustment of sentence. He did not react publicly to this verdict.

The only surviving member of the November 13 commando, Salah Abdeslam is indeed considered "the co-author of the attacks, all the targets of this November 13 constituting a single crime scene", according to the Assize Court. .

The magistrate added that "the court also recognized that the explosive vest he was wearing was not functional, which seriously calls into question Salah Abdeslam's declarations as to his renunciation".

“Radicalized defendants”

No extenuating circumstances either against Mohamed Abrini, who had taken part in the famous convoy of death in November 2015.

On the other hand, Sofien Ayari, 28, and Osama Krayem, 29, escape life imprisonment. They are sentenced to thirty years of criminal imprisonment with two thirds incompressible, for "their participation in an association of terrorist criminals".

Mohamed Bakkali, 35, who has already been sentenced to twenty-five years in prison for the August 2015 attack on the Thalys train, is also sentenced to thirty years in prison. Just like Ahmed Dahmani, 33, currently detained by Turkey.

For all these defendants, the Court considers that by "their adherence to jihadist theses, and their radicalization", they could not ignore the plans for terrorist attacks in Europe.

Life also for the Clain brothers

Life imprisonment is also pronounced against the five great absentees from this trial, supposedly dead in Syria and therefore tried by default. Among them, Osama Atar, considered "as the sponsor of the attacks"; Obeida Dibo, operational manager, and Omar Darif, one of the chief bomb disposal experts. Same life for the brothers Fabien and Jean-Michel Clain, Normans at one time in their lives and who had claimed the carnage of Paris by telephone.

"Propaganda has played an essential role in Daesh's strategy, both to spread terror and to attract new fighters," summed up President Périès.

For the other defendants, aged 29 to 41, the sentences range from two years in prison to eighteen years in prison, depending on the degree of logistical assistance provided to the November 13 commando.

"None of the three defendants who appeared free is reincarcerated at the end of the hearing", confirmed the Pnat.

The twenty defendants sentenced yesterday have ten days to appeal. History will remember the ninety deaths of the Bataclan, thirty-nine on the terraces of cafés, one at the Stade de France. Of the 400 injured, a woman and a man have since killed themselves.

Six years after a night of terror that traumatized France and after a river trial marked by the chilling stories of nearly 400 survivors or relatives at the helm, out of nearly 2,600 civil parties, the survivors will finally be able to close a page.

EARTHQUAKE IN LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS

LESSONS TO BE LEARNED

The second round of the legislative elections on June 19th put an end to the long electoral cycle, with two rounds of presidential elections and two rounds of legislative elections. In the presidential election, Emmanuel Macron had been largely re-elected, especially if we remember that an outgoing president inevitably displeases part of the electorate.

But the legislative elections last weekend will have marked a huge drop in the electorate of the presidential majority. The main issue for the second round was of course whether the presidential majority would also have an absolute majority of deputies or whether, as the polls suggested, it would only have a relative majority.

Distrust of the majority

The results are very bad for the majority. Together obtains 245 seats, far from the absolute majority of 289. The New People's Ecological and Social Union (NUPES) has 133 deputies, in the low range of what the polls predicted. On the other hand, the National Rally has 89 elected members against 8 in 2017 and 35 in 1988 with a departmental proportional voting system. The Republicans have 60, less than half the parliamentary group they had from 2017 to 2022. There are 20 various lefts, 10 regionalists, 10 various right, 4 various centers, 4 UDI, 1 sovereignist right.

Let us add that the two main blocks are composite. In the relative presidential majority, LREM would have only 162 deputies, almost half less than in 2017, the MoDem 45 (about the same as in 2017), Horizon, the new party of Édouard Philippe, 27.

On the side of the NUPES, La France insoumise (LFI) has 79 elected officials (against 17 today), EELV 25, the PS 25 and the PCF 12 (which will have difficulty in forming a parliamentary group). It is quite possible that this coalition will crumble or break apart, given the major program gaps, particularly in Europe and NATO.

For the first time since 2002, when the presidential mandate had been reduced to five years and the electoral calendar reversed, there is no amplification of the presidential victory in the legislative elections. On the contrary, there seems to have been a strong movement of defiance towards the majority. The front against the "extreme", which the presidential camp had called for, did not work. The fear of a "chaos" so radical left and right came first did not mobilize either.

A future made of alliances ?

The situation for the next five years is therefore very open, forcing the power to find alternative majorities on a case-by-case basis, unless it succeeds in convincing elected representatives from the right or various left, to join it. These results show that the recompositions of the French partisan system are not over. Republicans could split or crumble, with some moving towards Macronia, others possibly joining the National Rally.

This situation of very strong weakening of the majority could already be seen in the results of the first legislative round. The presidential coalition obtained only about 25.7% of the votes cast, at the same level as the NUPES. If we compare with 2017, LREM had then collected 32.3% of the votes cast in the first round, i.e. almost 7 points more than on June 12, 2022. Three major partisan blocs emanated from the polls: Together, the NUPES and the radical right at around 24% (RN, Reconquest, sovereignist right), while the traditional right was reduced to 13.6% (LR, UDI, various right).

The record level of abstention (52.5% of registered voters) has prevented many candidates from standing since it is necessary to obtain at least 12.5% ​​of registered voters (ie more than 25% of those cast in most constituencies). The second round therefore opposed everywhere (with 7 exceptions) duels of candidates: 415 Ensemble were qualified, 380 NUPES, 209 RN and 71 LR.

An unconvincing strategy

Ensemble's strong decline in the legislative elections compared to the presidential election is probably linked to the adoption of an unconvincing strategy. In 2017, the newly elected president had chosen a prime minister very quickly. His government carried popular measures before the first round, particularly in terms of moralizing political life.

In 2022, on the other hand, the Head of State was slow to announce his government, without committing to specific measures despite an obvious climate, economic and health crisis. Thus, on the key issue of purchasing power, the Prime Minister was content to announce belatedly a 4% increase in pensions during the summer.

The presidential program for the next five years thus remains vague, particularly in terms of economic policy, as if the president wanted to keep the margins of initiative with regard to the policy he will pursue, or as if he thought that his presence on the international scene was enough to attract voters. Evidenced by the vagueness around his latest proposal with a National Council for Refoundation

In this context, the electoral alliance operated by Jean-Luc Mélenchon succeeded in almost tripling the number of left-wing deputies in the National Assembly.

However, as a percentage of the votes cast, it is only stable in percentage compared to 2017 around 30% (with the various lefts), while the radical right has progressed by around 10 points.

The importance of abstaining

Finally, the second round confirms the first as to the importance of abstention: 53.8%, a little more than in the first legislative round but a little less than in the second round of 2017 (57%). The gaps are even greater than before according to generations and social categories: when among those over 65, two out of three registered voters will vote, this is only the case for one person under 35. Many workers and employees have also become very fatalistic, not seeing the point of going to vote.

This is a very important question which the public authorities should take up at the start of the legislature so that reforms can possibly be implemented in 2027. We know that abstention could decline – without there being any miracle solutions – with the introduction of a voting system that is at least partly proportional, with the possibility of voting by post or on the Internet, with also a reform of registration on the electoral lists to prevent have a lot of "mis-registered".

Many are also those who propose to implement a real policy of strengthening citizenship among young people, to develop voting incentive programs during election campaigns, or even to organize major contradictory debates between the parties and that the professions of faith reach the voters well in advance.

A reflection on the type of reforms to be implemented is urgent for the future of representative democracy in France.

TRIAL OF NOVEMBER 13 MAXIMUM SENTENCE AGAINST SALAH ABDESLAM AND NINE OTHER ACCUSED REQUESTED BY THE NATIONAL ANTI-TERRORIST PROSECUTION

At the end of a three-day indictment, the prosecution asked this Friday for exemplary sanctions, including the heaviest existing in the Penal Code for Salah Abdeslam, the survivor of the commandos . The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office (Pnat) has thus requested the maximum sentence against Salah Abdeslam and nine other defendants. The other sentences required range from five to thirty years in prison.

"Your verdict will not restore peace to the victims, it will not heal physical and psychological wounds, it will not bring back the dead, warns Camille Hennetier, concluding the river indictment of the three general attorneys of the National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor's Office (PNAT) started on Wednesday. But he will say that justice and law have the last word. »

The twenty men accused of having helped and supported the killers of November 13, 2015 know, since yesterday, the sanctions that the National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor's Office (Pnat) requires against them, on behalf of the French people. The verdict of the special assize court will fall on June 29.

"Their blood on their hands"

Unsurprisingly, the prosecution is asking for “incompressible” life imprisonment against the Franco-Moroccan Salah Abdeslam, 32, “soldier of the Islamic army, the only surviving co-author of the 130 deaths of November 13. He has their blood on his hands, as others have it on their conscience”, consider Camille Hennetier, Nicolas Braconnay and Nicolas Le Bris, magistrates of the prosecution. According to them, Salah Abdeslam, "who had dropped three human bombs" - three suicide bombers - in front of the Stade de France, carefully prepared "these massacres" with Abdelhamid Abaaoud, killed in the attack on Saint-Denis, November 18, 2015. The prosecution devoted long developments to Salah Abdeslam with an obsession: to dismantle the role of "alleged surprise guest" of the attacks put forward at the hearing.

“His jihadist commitment is old. There is no reason to say that he was his brother's puppet, ”recalled Nicolas Le Bris on Wednesday. The PNAT also emphasizes its essential role in the transport of the members of the commando to Belgium. "It's a key mission: the one who repatriates is necessarily someone in whom the cell has all its confidence", notes Camille Hennetier. The arrival in waves of future assassins between September 1 and October 14 acts “the constitution of a real katiba in the heart of Europe”.

No mitigating circumstances either, in the eyes of the prosecution, against Abdeslam's companions on the run between November 2015 and March 22, 2016, the date of the Brussels attacks. Life imprisonment is therefore also required against Sofien Ayari, 28, and Osama Krayem, 29, whom the prosecution suspects of having targeted an attack at Amsterdam airport.

As for Mohamed Abrini, " the man in the hat" of the Brussels attacks, "left like a thief" on the night of November 12 to 13 by forcing the cell to reorganize, "his renunciation cannot be analyzed as a withdrawal voluntary, and it has no effect on his previous acts of complicity. What will happen on the evening of November 13, he ardently wished, ”sings Nicolas Le Bris. The prosecution nevertheless took his escape into account by combining the required life imprisonment with a twenty-two-year security period.

The advocates general of the Pnat also demand life imprisonment against Mohamed Bakkali, 35, who has already been sentenced to twenty-five years in prison for the attack, in August 2015, of the Thalys train. And against the accused detained by Turkey, the prosecution asks for thirty years.

Perpetuity required, again, for the five major absentees from this trial, supposedly dead in Syria and therefore tried by default. Among them, Osama Atar, considered "as the mastermind of the attacks, the senior executive of terror". Ditto for the brothers Fabien and Jean-Michel Clain, Normans at one point in their life "and who had claimed on the telephone - singing - the carnage of Paris". For nine other defendants, aged 29 to 41, prosecuted for "participation in a terrorist criminal association", the sentences requested range from five, six (three defendants), eight, nine, sixteen and twenty years of imprisonment for the two most involved according to the Pnat.

If the prosecution admits that the accused do not all share the same jihadist convictions, ideology is in his eyes at the heart of this case. “We are not condemned for what we think, underlines Camille Hennetier. But we will have to be for what we have done in the name of what we think. »

And who can forget this terrible record? Ninety dead at the Bataclan, thirty-nine on the café terraces, one at the Stade de France. Two injured, a woman and a man, have since killed themselves. 397 survivors or relatives of victims have come to testify to their trauma since September. The defense will plead from Monday .

HOSPITAL CRISIS NEW GENERAL MOBILIZATION

In a leaflet distributed for a few days and entitled "there will be deaths", the inter-union denounces the immobility of the government despite regular alerts for three years.

“Access to first aid care is more and more complicated and the hospital no longer fulfills its public service role,” reads this leaflet. “Staff are angry and tired. (...) 

The Philippe and then Castex governments managed on a small scale, responding to emergencies with discriminatory measures such as hiring bonuses, without consideration for the staff already in office, despised ! »

The situation of emergency services in France is more than worrying. For lack of caregivers, at least 120 services have been forced to limit their activity or are preparing for it, according to a count at the end of May from the Samu-Urgences de France association.

The main demands

This Tuesday, the latter will therefore be in the street to make their five main demands heard, "the same for three years" remind the unions:

1 ° Immediate recruitment of additional caregivers

2° General increase in wages, taking into account time constraints and arduous work

3° Reinforcement of the financial means of establishments, recruitment of administrative staff to refocus caregivers on their tasks

4° Stopping of all closures of establishments and beds;

5° Implementation of measures to guarantee access to care for all French people, in all territories.

The salary increase for caregivers in the public and private non-profit sector to the tune of 183 euros, obtained at the end of the Ségur de la Santé, will therefore not have been enough to allay fears and anger..

SAFE FIASCO AT STADE DE FRANCE

The Champions League final was postponed for a long time on Saturday May 28, 2022, due to incidents near the Stade de France (Seine-Saint-Denis). The gala match hasindeedtransferred to the debacle around 7:30 p.m. A kick-off postponed for more than thirty-five minutes. Images of congested supporters then sprayed with tear gas around the Stade de France. Intruders stepping over the gates of the enclosure. Stripped supporters. 27OO ticketed British supporters were unable to enter. The fiasco is resounding for the organization, and invites itself in the political field while the first round of the legislative elections is held in ten days. Between scenes of violence and overwhelmed security, the organization of the event was a serious failure.