A first TV debate brings together representatives from the major parties two days before the first round in the legislative elections.
To see the debate on the same set of France 2 was delayed for two days. The representatives of different parties included the minister Olivier Veran and the “rebellious Adrien Quatennens,” the lawyer Charles Consigny to LR or RN Jordan Bardella – only UDI/MoDem were represented respectively by Isabelle Florennes and Brigitte Foure, Amiens mayor. The question of purchasing power was also raised. This will be the subject in a first law, as Olivier Veran promised. Charles Consigny sent them back to him: “On one hand, pure communication as it is with Emmanuel Macron; on the other, a gas plant.
Veran, a former member of the PS, criticized the program of his former comrades who are now allied with LFI and EELV inside Nupes. He said it would lead “to an explosion of public spending”. (See below). Veran also pointed out the evolution of his party’s former party: “On Europe you went from Delors’ federalism to Melenchon’s skepticism; on the Republic, you moved from Cazeneuve’s republican firmness to Taha Bouhafs’ communitarianism. Olivier Faure was indignant about the “10 million poor” people in the country and replied, “Nonsense,”
Olivier Veran, defending the postponement by Emmanuel Macron of the legal age, said that “this will enable us to finance more public service”. He promised 1,100 euros for a full-time career with 43 annuities and took into consideration the hardship. However, he did not specify how. Adrien Quatennens supported reforming Nupes with the return of the start at 60 and the “1,500 euro for a full-time career”.
The president was expected to make daily security the main theme of his Tarn getaway on Thursday. But who was really holding him back? Emmanuel Macron was the first to be caught in the Abad scandal on D-3 of D-3 of the first round legislative elections. Gaillac was where he was confronted by a young woman who was visibly outraged at his choice of Head of State to lead the ex-head of the LR deputies: “You put at head of the state of men who have been accused of rape or violence against women. Why? She dropped her attack on Gerald Darmanin, the Minister of Interior.
Images of the arrest went viral on social media and news channels immediately, effectively eclipsing all other news. Remember that Gerald Darmanin had been subject to a 2017 rape complaint (dismissed), and that the prosecution requested dismissal. Concerning Damien Abad, who was the subject of two charges in the Mediapart investigation, including a complaint that was dismissed, the Paris prosecutor’s Office decided not to open an inquiry into the allegations of sexual violence against him. After the publication of the article, they believed that they didn’t have an “element allowing for the identification of a victim of the facts denigrated”.
Emmanuel Macron managed to fire a few arrows at his enemies despite his recent intense campaign. Particularly at Jean-Luc Melenchon’s Nupes, who is today regarded as enemy number 1. Puycelsi was thus explicit in his targeting of the leader “rebellious”, who had, just a few days before, stated that the police “kills”, after the Paris traffic stop on Saturday, June 4. Police officers riding bicycles fired multiple shots at a vehicle in Paris’ 18th arrondissement, injuring both the driver and the passenger. The officer who was on the bike died. I hear the voices rising. This is normal in an election period. But there are some things I cannot accept: it’s that we insult those who risk life to protect ours,” said the president.
Jean-Luc Melenchon, a distant observer, mocked President Trump’s recent campaign trips. He called them “pretext outings”, signs of “febrility”, while polls show the Macronists are ahead of the Nupes in intentions to vote. He said, “Let the nation give the president that disavowal which he deserves on Sunday,” even moving. This man claims to speak thickly in the “extremely pain to bear” voice of the head state. The leader of the “rebellious”, while the investigation into Paris continues, reiterated that the police response was excessive. “Everyone knows that shooting tires is the best way to go and not on the driver or a passenger.”
This news item is certain to ignite the end of this campaign. It boils down to the left-leaning activists who speak out against police violence (the left) and the right-leaning advocates of police reform (the other). This could weaken the New People’s Ecological and Social Union, currently leading the polls ahead of the majority. The government doesn’t cut corners. That is one certainty. Camille Chaize, Interior Ministry spokesperson, even posted a humorous tweet. “Because many people mean it, but it’s always better if you say it!”
I’m not sure if this elevates or calms the debate.
The seriousness of economic plans is another topic of discussion and a new angle for attack by Emmanuel Macron. The Tarn saw the head of state reaffirm his commitment to no taxes or debts. “The only way we can finance this project is to move toward full employment and work longer,” he said. This would essentially mean that we need to raise the retirement age. He then said, without naming Nupes critics, that “there is no magic money: let’s be clear about the plans.” It is not clear how he finances it. Hidden taxes, or a loan that will make us weaker. “A debate about which have searched for” the Obs Pascal Riche and Sophie Fay. Particularly the symbolic reform carried out by Melenchon: retirement at 60 for everyone after 40 annual contributions. This is what undoubtedly irritates mainstream economics the most. Philippe Aghion writes in a column that all the European countries have increased the retirement age to 62 years. He presses where it hurts: This measure, he says, “will weaken the purchasing power” of employees.
Nupes plans to increase the old-age contribution by 0.25 percent each year in order to finance this symbolic reform. Left-wing economists are even more skeptical. Henri Sterdyniak at the OFCE is an “appalled” economist who considers that this reform should not be prioritized due to the estimated cost at 5% of GDP. Shahin Vallee from the German Council on Foreign Relations in Berlin shares the same sentiment: “It would shame if they had to reduce their budgetary ambitions regarding the ecological transition.”
Jean-Luc Melenchon’s economists believe they can do it all simultaneously since “nearly 40%” of French people don’t end their careers surrounded with their colleagues at a retirement party but are unemployed or in a precarious job market.
It is a support that counts to Pierre-Yves Bournazel the deputy, member of Edouard Philippe, engaged in an uncertain battle in the 18th district against Aymeric Caron candidate Nupes, former journalist. Christophe Caresche, an ex-socialist deputy from Paris’s eastern suburbs, praised Bournazel’s work as “a good deputy” and had previously supported Macron in 2017. Add an SMS to “l’Obs”: “I am very suspicious about his opponent whom i consider to be a passing strangeball. Laurent Ruquier’s animalist and former columnist will be grateful. He is betting on Jean-Luc Melenchon’s good score in this constituency, with 36% (against Macron’s 33%).
The “the Obs”, who examines the constituency every day, is the one of ex-LR Damien Abad of Ain. Are the charges against him enough to make the firmly rooted MP sway?
“Obviously, everyone speaks about it. Julien Martinez, who was invested by the Les Republicains party in Damien Abad’s replacement, says that he does not comment on the matter. “Here, it is silent. We don’t like being the center of attention, especially for such things. We are more on the register for modesty,” says the Oyonnax local elected official. According to an Ifop-Fiducial poll, 39% of voters intend to vote for Damien Abad. This is despite them having watched the entire soap opera. She is far ahead of her competitors, Florence Pisani (Nupes) (22%), Joelle Nambotin (14%), Julien Martinez (9%).
