More than 16,000 dead, entire cities in ruins, populations who lack everything…” Natural disasters are an opportunity for rapprochement, relief The cross. The spirit of mutual aid is then freed from political constraints. (…) More than 40 countries have offered their assistance to Turkey. For Syria, it is more complicated, points out the Catholic daily. The country remains a pariah of the international community. (…) And yet, the UN called yesterday to “put politics aside” to assist North-West Syria. The distress of the victims highlights the impasse in which this region finds itself, divided into zones that are almost hermetic to one another. Emergency aid cannot cross these internal borders. (…) For the Europeans, the political dilemma will be total, especially if the Syrian regime does not concede any opening – the most probable hypothesis. »
” Accused for a long time of diverting international aid intended for its population, this same Syrian regime was quick to take advantage of the earthquake to launch a diplomatic offensive, point Release, by demanding the lifting of the international sanctions which have been imposed on it since 2011, in particular on the part of the Europeans, even though these sanctions do not apply to the provision of humanitarian aid. »
Low profile for Erdogan
As for Turkey, continues Release“ Always very pragmatic, President Erdogan has put aside his narrow nationalism, welcoming Western aid with open arms, including from his great rivals like Israel or Greece. For the Turkish president, his government’s response to the earthquake represents a major – and possibly decisive – political issue as the election campaign begins. Scheduled for May 14, remember Release, the presidential and legislative elections could be postponed by Erdogan, if he is reproached for his shortcomings in managing the consequences of the earthquake. Visiting Hatay province, one of the hardest hit, yesterday, Erdogan acknowledged “gaps” in the handling of this tragedy, while castigating “dishonest” critics, saying it was “impossible to be prepared” for a such disaster. sign of tension, still falls Release, Twitter has become inaccessible on major Turkish mobile providers amid growing online criticism. »
In France, the question of the taxation of superprofits resurfaces
On the front page in France, this question: should superprofits be taxed? A question that comes up regularly in this period of global crisis when a large group posts record profits… This is the case of LVMH, more than 14 billion euros for 2022; from BNP Paribas, more than 10 billion and from TotalEnergies, with more than 19 billion.
“ super indecency exclaims Release. “ More than these amounts, which can be considered in themselves as signals of a healthy economy, it is their use that is the most subject to debate. In fact, these super-profits immediately give rise, not to “super-investments” or “super-salary increases” for the employees, but to the payment of “super-dividends” enriching the only lucky shareholders. of these companies. Thus, while TotalEnergies promises to invest 4.6 billion euros in “low-carbon energies” this year, the group chooses to redistribute 9.4 billion euros to its shareholders. »
Profitability at all costs?
On the contrary, ” long live the profits! “, spear Le Figaro. “ An unfathomable mystery wants that, at home and only at home, the profits of these large groups, guarantors of their survival, cause scandal. Well, no, for Le Figaro : “ to rub shoulders with the most powerful, win markets, supplant their rivals, the (French) multinationals have no choice but profitability at all costs. »
The Parisian is on the same line: there is still a gulf before reconciling the French with the business world, so that it is no longer seen as a sin, but as the way to develop and anticipate rather than suffer. »
” The problem is not so much that a company makes a profit, temper The Latest News from Alsace is its raison d’être as well as a source of income for the nation and its employees. No, what is debating is when the world is in crisis and it is this crisis that generates the wealth of these groups. A few months ago, Joe Biden spoke of “war profits”, no matter how hard we look, we can’t find a more appropriate formula… »