This Friday, April 7, 2023, in Le Monde, Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne spoke about her future course of action after meeting the inter-union on Wednesday. A week before the decision of the Constitutional Council on the pension reform, she wanted to set up “a period of convalescence” in order to prevent the unions from “coming out humiliated” from this situation. On Thursday March 23, Laurent Berger, representative of the CFDT, had himself asked for a “period of decency” on BFMTV.
“We must be extremely careful not to rush things, we must let things rest. The country needs appeasement,” she told Le Monde. His diplomatic tone contrasted with the comments made by Emmanuel Macron during his trip to China.
From China, Wednesday April 5, the entourage of the head of state denied any “democratic crisis in France”. “There was a democratic process”. “If people wanted to retire at 60, it was not Emmanuel Macron who should be elected President of the Republic”, reports TF1.
The president’s entourage then blamed the unions and their refusal to offer an alternative to the Macronist project. According to the executive, “no social and political force, opposition” “wanted to enter into a compromise and bring another project”. “For the first time in its contemporary history, the CFDT did not propose another project. The answer was: nothing.”
While the president castigates the unions and wants to move forward at all costs, Elisabeth Borne calls for an easing of the situation and responds favorably to the request for a “decency period” formulated by Laurent Berger. Why does Elisabeth Borne stand in opposition to Emmanuel Macron?
Laurent Berger, secretary general of the CFDT, had himself called for respecting a “period of decency” before any resumption of discussion with the government. He was therefore delighted with the declaration of Elisabeth Borne. “This morning’s message is more respectful than the one that came to us from China,” he reacted to BFMTV’s microphone.
“The Prime Minister is perhaps aware that something is happening in the country, that there is a social crisis, a democratic problem […] and that at this time, it is better to talk about it. appeasement – which is the role of those who run the country – only words that stigmatize.”
Elisabeth Borne therefore takes some distance from the position of the Head of State. It is illustrated by its ability to take more into account the demands of the unions, at the risk of upsetting the president. A close executive told Agathe Lambret, political journalist for BFMTV: “The break has already begun. She has nothing left to lose, so you might as well leave a mark on public opinion.”
Elisabeth Borne questioned the mission that Emmanuel Macron had entrusted to her on Wednesday March 22. He wanted her to succeed in “broadening the majority” to continue legislative work in the National Assembly. While all the opposition parties have, one after the other, refused this outstretched hand, Elisabeth Borne is said to have declared to the president: “It was a foregone conclusion: the words ‘enlarge the majority’ can tense up” (comments reported by BFMTV).
This Friday, April 7, in the pages of Le Monde, Elisabeth Borne claims another strategy: “Before going to find allies to vote on the texts, it is important that we say where we want to go”. “We have to give meaning and breath to the action. I’m not just here to administer the country.”
The words of the Prime Minister went very badly with Emmanuel Macron, who would have discovered them on the plane between Beijing and Canton. The Elysée’s response was quick on Twitter: “The direction was given by the president during his 1 p.m. interview on TF1 and France 2. He asked the Prime Minister to receive the unions and work on a roadmap for the coming months.”
After this call to public order, a close associate of the executive revealed to France Info that “no adviser, neither at Matignon nor at the Elysée, is able to say whether the President and the Prime Minister have talked about in the past few hours.” While there is only one week left for Elisabeth Borne to submit her roadmap to the Head of State, many are wondering about the survival of Elisabeth Borne in Matignon.
