French newspapers analyze this Friday (15) the interview given by President Emmanuel Macron on July 14, the French national holiday. For the press, the head of state is trying to show that he is not isolated. But for the opposition, the president insists on governing alone and refuses to accept the new reality he faces in the National Assembly.
For an hour, the head of state spoke to French television channels on topics such as pension reform, inflation, the war economy in Ukraine, the climate crisis and explained his involvement in the Uber Files case.
The President used the interview for the newspaper Liberation to send messages to the MPs of the rightwing party The Republicans (LR), founded by exPresident Nicolas Sarkozy. In everyday life, Macron is aware that from now on he will have to deal with this opposition formation, especially on social issues.
For Libé, after losing his absolute majority in the legislature, the head of state struggled to project the image of a working president who is not isolated or “disabled”.
2 of 2 French National Assembly during its session on July 6, 2022 — Photo: Benoit Tessier/R
French National Assembly during its session on July 6, 2022 — Photo: Benoit Tessier/R
Le Parisien says Macron is calling for “everyone to mobilize” in light of the crises the country is going through. An attempt to seize the initiative now that he only has a relative majority in the assembly.
For Le Figaro, in the face of opposition threats to block all his projects, the French President is using the referendum strategy and says he will consult the French. For the newspaper, Macron refuses to give up his reforms, particularly pension and unemployment insurance, and wants to present them before the end of August 2022.
According to Le Figaro, the opposition expected a change from the head of state, who has a reputation for governing alone, but was disappointed. For the right and left MPs interviewed by the newspaper, Macron refuses to understand the new reality he will face in the National Assembly and that from now on he must learn to listen.