Many newspapers are returning this morning to Emmanuel Macron’s Sunday evening announcements about Niger. “ For France, a costly failure », exclaims Le Figaro. “ The most resolute tone cannot be enough to disguise a pitiful retreat as a muscular decision. By announcing the repatriation of our ambassador to Niamey and the withdrawal of 1 500 French soldiers from Niger by the end of the year, Emmanuel Macron simply recognized that he found himself in an impasse », Says the newspaper.
Result, continues Le Figaro« France is undergoing a brutal downgrade on a continent which will concentrate half of the world’s youth in 2050. Its image sullied by Wagner’s trolls, it has become toxic to the point that even its allies are distancing themselves. The drama, point at the newspaper again, is that it will not benefit anyone more virtuous. The Russians, the Chinese and the Turks are pursuing economic and strategic interests which will neither help the security of the populations nor their escape from poverty. Driven by the best intentions, France failed in Africa, concludes Le Figaro: we will measure its seriousness in terms of emigration from these countries – or when the appearance of a caliphate will force us to return there “.
It’s true, adds The cross« a pitiful France facing a new and triumphant Niger. This is (at least) the image that the authors of the coup want to give, who welcome “a new step towards sovereignty”. But this statement can be questioned, estimates the Catholic daily. The military is consolidating its position, but sovereignty is only truly effective when it is exercised within alliances and cooperation networks. An isolated state is often a pariah state. However, the situation of Niger and its population is today extremely precarious, relieving The cross. The putschists have very little international support. (…) The coup d’état, until now, has led to more precariousness and less security “.
Chad, last ally…
Unwanted in Mali, Burkina Faso and now Niger, the French army is still present in Chad. But until when?, asks Release. “ Déby’s Chad (son) is France’s last ally in the Sahel “. However, notes the newspaper, “ almost continuous since 1960, the presence of the French army in the country is now contested by opposition movements, who see it as an interference with colonialist overtones. “.
However, says Release« as long as the politico-military system put in place by Déby continues, cooperation will not be called into question. But Paris’ support for this regime precisely fuels its rejection, inside the country, and more broadly throughout Africa, where the Chadian case is often cited as an example of interference. For Emmanuel Macron, maintaining a military presence is certainly tempting, in the short term, if only to spare himself a humiliating new departure. There is no doubt that the army will plead in this direction. However, she risks concludes Liberation, to further poison, in the long term, relations between France and the continent “.
The puzzle of the energy transition
Also in the news are the measures presented yesterday by Emmanuel Macron to reduce carbon emissions. With this question, point Free Charente : “ how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030? To put it another way, how can we do more in 7 years than in the last 33 years? »
Among the 50 measures presented yesterday by the Head of State, The Parisian sees six that could change our daily lives. Here are some of them: a drain on EDF profits to lower electricity prices; the construction of offshore wind turbines; planting a billion trees by 2032; or the acceleration of French production of heat pumps.
All that remains to be financed… The 2024 finance law provides for 40 billion euros. “ A wall of investments, colossal but essential to succeed in the ecological transition, exclaims West France, while France has accumulated a mountain of debt. It is difficult to see, in these conditions, how the government could succeed in convincing the opposition to vote for this law. (…) The debates promise to be heated around these money questions. Which can only be resolved by using article 49-3 of the Constitution. Repeat. Like last year. Which promises us a turbulent parliamentary return… »