After a government reshuffle marked by the arrival of several emblematic figures of the French right (Rachida Dati, Catherine Vautrin, etc.), President Emmanuel Macron effected a change of direction for France in 2024. During a 2-hour long press conference at the Élysée Palace on Tuesday, Macron offered the contours of the new course that the government will follow until 2027.
Here's what Macron said
Work and purchasing power:
The president announced that he had asked the new government to do everything possible to enable the French to "earn a better living through work" by the end of its five-year term. Negotiations will be carried out in several sectors "so that the salary dynamic matches the efforts." Likewise, while Macron has planned to carry out a tax cut of 2 billion euros for the middle classes, which will be effective from next year, he also wants to change the way civil servants are paid so that they are paid more "on merit."
At the same time, the Macron has his mind set on his ambition to achieve full employment (an unemployment rate below 5%) before the end of his mandate. To do this, Macron said he wanted to tighten unemployment insurance rules. For example, the sanctions for refusing a job offer will be more severe than they are now. He also wants to strengthen support for unemployed people and simplify the hiring process. "Our country will also be stronger because more French people will work," Macron said.
Companies
In the same spirit, and in order to boost the country's growth and economic activity, the French president announced that he would declare war on "the complexities that protect incomes, established situations" by simplifying the different standards imposed on French companies. Macron intends to further "liberate those who do, who dare, who work" by removing certain standards, reducing deadlines, facilitating hiring and increasing all thresholds for triggering obligations.
One of the measures aimed at simplifying administrative procedures for companies will, for example, be the implementation of the "'tell us once' principle so that we stop asking companies for the same information over and over again." The administration will thus no longer have to request information that it has already requested "in the last two years."
Youth, education and family
Education is one of the main axes of the new course presented by the president. Several concrete measures were announced to teach young people "what the Republic means and the deep meaning of respect and commitment." Macron, who is in favor of the national anthem -- the Marseillaise -- to be taught and sung from primary school, also wishes to extend the experimentation to uniforms in school, as well as double the teaching time for civic education from middle school. Theater will also become "an obligatory part of college from the next school year."
The president does not intend to limit himself to school to change the habits of young people. He wants parents to be responsible for children's screen time and wishes to "determine the proper use of screens" (cell phone, computer, television, video games, etc.), through potential restrictions at home and in class.
Macron also wants to revive the birth rate in the country. For this, he announced the establishment of a new "birth leave" to replace the current parental leave, which will be shortened (it will not exceed six months) but better paid. At the same time, a major plan against infertility will be launched.
Security and immigration
"Having a stronger France also means ensuring order by better controlling our borders, by fighting against incivility or against drugs." These words summarize Macron's ambitions in matters of security and immigration. Police presence on the streets will be doubled and "clearance" operations will be carried out every week against drug trafficking in all cities.
To "control immigration and improve integration," Macron mentioned the law adopted on Dec. 19 by the National Assembly. The Constitutional Council will decide on the legality of the text on Jan. 25. Macron borrowed a slogan ("so that France remains France") from the far right and in particular from the president of the Reconquête party, Éric Zemmour, during his press conference.
The president called for the regularization of foreign doctors to "put an end to the scandal of medical deserts." He also announced a doubling of medical deductibles (from 50 cents to 1 euro), with the aim of making the French more responsible toward the issue of public spending.
Finally, even if ecology and the subject of energy were probably not really on the agenda of the president, he announced the construction of eight new-generation nuclear reactors -- also called EPR -- after the first six already launched in the country.
(This article was first published in IBTimes France.)
