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.