Covid
“The stabilization of the health situation is the priority of this back to school “ Macron confirms in the days in which France records new records of infections, over 6 thousand in the last twenty-four hours and in four days schools reopen for 12 million children and young people. “The government’s strategy – explains Macron – is to live with the virus, that is not to stop economic, educational and social life”. The government has decided to impose the use of masks throughout Paris. Throughout the summer there were contradictory messages from the authorities, and covered faces were rare in the capital. Today the music has changed. “The masks do a lot, but not everything” Macron points out, also recommending hand washing and distancing. In recent days, a debate had been unleashed on whether the state should pay for masks to everyone. “A crazy debate” Macron comments. On the hypothesis of a new general lockdown Macron is humble. “We have discovered in recent months – says the President – that the unthinkable can never be ruled out. The lockdown is the oldest measure of companies to protect themselves from epidemics. But we are doing everything to avoid it”.
Turkey
The French president reiterated that he is the European leader with the most uncompromising line with the new Sultan. While reiterating that Ankara is an essential partner on immigration and the energy market, Macron has pitted a series of examples of how Erdogan, according to France, does not behave as a NATO ally. “It is not when he takes it out on our Kurdish allies without coordinating or warning us. It is not when jihadists are imported into Libya. It is an unacceptable attitude”. The President speaks of “red line policy” to contain Turkey’s ambitions. “But the words must be followed by acts”. And so, he comments, the French military maneuvers in the eastern Mediterranean are explained. Macron specifies: “We have not deployed an armada but we want to reaffirm that we are a power in the region and we will respond to provocations”. Regarding a possible isolation of his duel with Erdogan, he replies: “France is no longer alone. Germany and other European partners are also realizing that Erdogan’s agenda is a problem”.
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Erdogan’s challenge on the Mediterranean: “We will take what is ours”
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Lebanon
Macron was the first Western leader to go to the country of the Cedars after the political and social crisis, and will return to Beirut next Monday, on the occasion of the feast of the creation of the Lebanese state. “My line is clear: need without interference. The system has self-blocked and prevents us from carrying out the essential reforms of the anti-corruption law, reforming the energy sector, restructuring the banking system”. With Lebanon, Macron recalls, France has “a history of friendship and affection”. “For us it represents one of the few examples in the region of coexistence between cultures and religions, a pluralist model”. On the Lebanese powder keg, the activism of the French leader, who also met with a representative of Hezbollah, has not yet borne fruit but he flaunts determination. “I have no hidden papers, but I have convinced American and European interlocutors that France is an honest broker to organize a mediation”.
Russia
On the poisoning of Aleksey Navalnyj the French president, who initially proposed to welcome the Russian opponent, reiterates: “We are extremely worried about this situation, and we will be demanding that clarity be made, in full transparency”. Macron launched an open dialogue with over a year ago Vladimir Putin. An attempt to thaw with the Russian leader whom he defines as “without naivety”.
Belarus
The non-recognition of the elections was a necessary first step but now it remains to emerge from a dangerous test of strength. Macron sees the risk of escalation as in Ukraine. “As I told Putin, any external intervention, starting with that of Russian forces, would lead to internationalization. And it would be frowned upon”. The talks with Moscow focus on a possible political mediation entrusted to the OSCE. “Putin told me he is in favor but he still has to convince Lukashenko.”
United States
Regarding a possible re-election of Donald Trump with which the initial bromance has cooled down a bit: “It is not my job to wish or not the re-election of an international executive, it is my duty to do everything to work well with those who are elected. In the current context – he merely says Macron – it is important that the United States fully play its role as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, engaging in multilateral issues, in conflict resolution “. America, concludes the French leader, is “an essential partner in collective security”. But, he adds, “Europe must be more sovereign, taking on its responsibilities, regardless of the electoral trends” in the US.
Economic crisis
Macron claims that France is “one of the most generous countries in the world, where the cost of the crisis is most borne by the state through the chômage partiel, the equivalent of layoffs, and guaranteed loans. After an initial response in March. with the emergency plan, the government will present on Thursday the “France Relance” package which is not limited to stimulus measures. “We do not want to give only an answer to the crisis but to build a stronger France” says Macron, who has set the horizon for 2030 . The French leader also explains that Europe has learned the lesson of the previous economic crisis. “At the time it was decided to increase taxes a lot and the result was the strong downgrading of the middle class.” Macron congratulates himself on an effective monetary policy and coordinated that maintains low rates and spreads. “This is what the United States have been doing for some time” he underlines, recalling that in the 1930s Europe chose a deflationary monetary policy “with the risk to lead to chaos and political and social instability “.
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