The French president, Emmanuel Macron, has started the political course strong: with a long meeting with the opposition leaders to address the issues that concern them the most, but, above all, to test and seek alliances and support for future reforms. Macron wants to unblock the situation of political deadlock in which he may find himself in the coming months, since he does not have a majority in the Assembly and has less and less support.
Behind closed doors, without mobile phones and without the presence of collaborators: only Macron and the 11 representatives of the French political arc. The meeting began in the early afternoon and is scheduled to continue with a dinner. On the debate table: the issues that concern the Government and the opposition and on which the Executive intends to act in the short term, such as the immigration law, one of the most sensitive issues for the country.
The meeting, which was also attended by the Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, and the presidents of the Assembly and the Senate, takes place at the Maison d’Éducation de la Légion d’Honneur, in Saint-Denis, on the outskirts of Paris. . An occasion for the leaders of the parties to convey to Macron “their proposals on how to face the great international challenges” and on “the challenges related to education, integration, inequalities and respect for the authorities”, he says the Elysium.
The final objective is to “agree on proposals for rapid measures”, which could be translated into laws “after the agreement of the Government with Parliament or referendum proposals”, adds the Elysee.
The appointment takes place in a complicated context for Macron, not only due to the lack of parliamentary support, but also due to growing social discontent. Two months ago the country experienced the worst wave of riots in decades, sparked by the death of a young man shot by a police officer at a checkpoint. The Government is aware that the street is a pot about to explode.
The wave of riots, which was especially virulent in the French neighborhoods (the so-called banlieue), came just two months after another rebellion in the streets: the one provoked by the controversial pension reform, which was opposed by almost everyone. the country. In two days, this law will come into force that raises the retirement age from 62 to 64 and was approved last spring by force (by decree, without a parliamentary vote), after months of protests and a motion of no confidence. that almost toppled the government.
The Immigration Law, another of Macron’s great fronts, should have started processing right after, but the Government decided to postpone it due to a lack of support and, also, because it wanted to appease the social climate. Opening this melon after the pension crisis would have inflamed the country even more.
This rule should begin to be discussed now and it is one of the great challenges of the autumn. “The president wants the meeting to be productive,” government spokesman Olivier Véran said after the council of ministers. The parties have attended the meeting with great skepticism. “I have accepted this invitation without illusion,” said Jordan Bardella, president of National Rally, the party of the far-right Marine Le Pen. “There are two essential issues, such as purchasing power” and “the organization of a referendum on immigration,” he pointed out. “We have come to tell Macron to what extent his policy is bad for the country,” explained Manuel Bompard, coordinator of La Francia Insumisa.
