He had promised to speak around July 14, at the end of the “hundred days” of action and appeasement that he had set for his Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne to get out of the pension crisis. Emmanuel Macron spoke for about twenty minutes, this Friday, July 21, at the opening of the Council of Ministers, the day after the government reshuffle.
“I have chosen continuity and efficiency for the times to come and which are opening up before us”, declared the President of the Republic in his opening remarks. Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed with “clarity” his “trust” in Elisabeth Borne, renewed at Matignon. He also “warmly thanked” the eight personalities who left the government on Thursday, expressing his “deep gratitude to all those who are committed”.
Emmanuel Macron also asked his ministers to be “exemplary” and to always act “with the greatest dignity”. “You are watched in all the details of your action, your expressions, your life, and what we owe the country is to act, to explain, to respond and to always do so with the greatest dignity”, declared the President of the Republic after this reshuffle expected for several weeks.
He also urged members of the government to “direct their administrations”, a mission deemed “indispensable” for the success of government action. “In accordance with the Constitution, ministers run their administrations,” he explained.
He also called on his ministers to implement the decisions of the executive as close as possible to the “ground”. “You must carry out this work in conjunction with parliamentarians, elected officials on the ground, in particular mayors,” he said. The objective pursued is that “the policy of the government can be effective and understood”, he explained.
Four “major projects”
In front of the members of the government, the Head of State reaffirmed the “course” chosen by the executive: “the independence of the country in order to be able to consolidate a fairer model”. Emmanuel Macron spoke of “economic, financial, energy, industrial, military and geopolitical independence”. “There is no policy that holds if we are not independent”, he underlined.
The President of the Republic detailed the four “major projects” he is carrying out and which he intends to continue: “reindustrialization and full employment”, where he praised the “results” already obtained, “progress”, “ecological planning” as well as “republican order”.
Emmanuel Macron also wanted the establishment of a “demanding framework” and the “ordering” of public finances in the draft budget for 2024. Referring to the “credibility of France in Europe”, he considered that this requirement, in particular in terms of reducing the public deficit, “alone, can allow us to be strong”.
The Head of State also called for a “complete and profound response” to the recent riots, citing a “risk of fragmentation and deep division of the Nation”. “There is a need for authority, respect and legitimate expectation […] We must learn the lessons of what happened and provide in-depth responses,” said the Head of State, adding that this “will structure the government’s back-to-school work.