Emmanuel Macron is not yet an official candidate, but the French president is monitoring the political climate like milk on the fire. Living conditions in nursing homes, fuel prices… Two and a half months before the presidential election, Julien, the government has done everything to avoid the start of a fire.
” One day, an announcement “. This week, the government wanted to act quickly as with the soaring prices at the pump. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Jean Castex announced the increase in the mileage allowance scale for some French people who depend on their car: two and a half million people will save around 150 euros. Tuesday again. The book by journalist Victor Castanet on the abuse of the elderly in a group of Ephad made the front page. The oppositions denounce a scandal. Again, immediate reaction from the government: the CEO of the Orpea group is summoned.
Wednesday, back again. Auto-entrepreneurs demonstrate under the windows of the Ministry of the Economy. Bercy opens the checkbook. “Exceptional financial assistance” for the self-employed is released.
” No room for error »
This responsiveness is obviously no stranger to the presidential campaign. At 10 weeks from the 1st round, the Élysée keeps all its sensors open to prevent a social subject from becoming a controversy, its opponents are waiting for that. Emmanuel Macron has ” no room for error “, confided to me a minister. ” The position of outgoing president is the most difficult “, she explains, because the head of state is accountable for everything that happens. While his rivals are not responsible for anything. That’s why we saw the government extinguish all these outbreaks of fire. ” We are at the mercy of the slightest incident “, laments a member of the government who keeps in mind the episode “papy Voise”. The assault on a retiree swung the presidential election between two rounds in 2002. This affair placed the theme of insecurity at the heart of the news, favoring the arrival of Jean-Marie Le Pen in the second tower.
Purchasing power, bad news for Emmanuel Macron
For the moment, it is the purchasing power which invites itself into the campaign, it is the 1st concern of the French according to the polls. There were a lot of people Thursday in the demonstrations for wages, and in particular several left-wing figures including Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the candidate of rebellious France for the presidential election. Despite the 17 billion euros released after the yellow vests crisis, despite the ” no matter what “Faced with the Covid, Valérie Pécresse, Marine Le Pen or Yannick Jadot still promise billions and accuse the outgoing president of not having done enough. Faced with the trap of one-upmanship, the future candidate Macron will have to prove that he remains the best qualified to improve the lives of the French.