During the Council of Ministers on Wednesday, the President of the Republic spoke of the “great upheaval of the world”, announcing the “end of abundance, carelessness and evidences”.
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In the radius of presidential mues, it seems fundamental. A few months ago, Emmanuel Macron defined himself as an “optimistic of the will”, capable of discussing on television on the “day after” the epidemic of Covid-19, while the patients were just starting to confuse hospitals. Each crisis was drawing, in his eyes, the possibility of a rebound. A provision of mind that time and the international context, marked by the war in Ukraine, seem to have patinated.
The President of the Republic opened the Council of Ministers, Wednesday, August 24, with a particularly dark introductory remarks. In a twelve -minute presentation – transmitted, rare, live on continuous information channels -, the tenant of the Elysée dissected the “great upheaval of the world” through three “fine”: “end of the ‘Abundance, end of carelessness, end of evidences “. Without the perspective of a corner of blue sky appearing.
The “end of abundance” is that of access to raw materials and products “which seemed perpetually available to us”, recognized Emmanuel Macron. The health crisis and then the Ukrainian conflict reduced the wing of international exchanges and the hope of a happy globalization.
It is also access to water, rarefied due to global warming, but also that with “liquidity for no cost”, added the head of state. Negative interest rates now belong to the past. “We will have to draw the consequences in terms of public finances,” warned Mr. Macron. Requiem for “whatever it costs”.
“our freedom has a cost”
If the price shield on energy costs was perpetuated until the end of 2022, “we will not be able to indefinitely freeze prices,” said government spokesperson Olivier Véran. In particular when Russia threatens to cut its gas supplies in order to punish the West to support Ukraine. A decision that would result in a flambé of prices on the markets.
“Our freedom (…) has a cost,” said Emmanuel Macron, which “can assume sacrifices” and “efforts”. However, he was careful not to specify which ones. “There are no restrictions imposed by the State,” tempered Mr. Véran, after the Council of Ministers, denying all “willingness to force the French to reduce their consumption” of energy. For the moment.
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