Translated material
Macron is indignant with the people
The French President apologized to the citizens, announced the “emergency in the economy” and raised a minimum salary by 100 euros
Emmanuel Macron on Monday evening asked a television message to the people. The message is a consequence of mass protests on the country on November 17. The President said that the concessions proposed by his prime minister just six days ago do not correspond to the “level of indignation” of the people. And he announced new measures.
As he said
Macron's performance should be included in the textbooks. The “arrogant” “president of the rich”, on whom a wave of popular hatred (not to be confused with the popular) resulted in the last month, recognized the possible presence of behavioral mistakes in communicating with people and the likely presence of small tactical miscalculations in the management of the country.
He did this not very loud, but distinct, slightly trembling (in the moments of listing the difficulties of the country and individual citizens), but a full dignity, a tired voice of a lot of president working for the benefit of France.
He emphasized that the structural problems, when solving which he, perhaps, made some mistakes and miscalculations, accumulated 40 years. And having listed each of these problems, he promised to solve them - but only with the help of the people. At the same time, he tried to separate from the people of those whose goal is “violence for violence”, and those who are trying to make “political capital” on this. And having separated, he promised the people a solid increase-and not to any intangible moment of building a bright future, but right tomorrow, from January 1, 2019.
What he said
“... The events of the last weeks in France and in the overseas territories deeply excited the nation,” began Macron, emphasizing that during these events “legitimate requirements were mixed with a series of unacceptable violence”, “which would not be condemned.” "We saw the games of the opportunists who tried to use sincere indignation (people)."
“Their only goal is to overturn the republic with the help of a mess and anarchy.”
Then the president recalled the “married couple of employees who cannot make ends meet, wake up every day early and go to work and go far to work”; about the "single mother-a widow or a divorced <...>, who no longer has hope"; About "modestly living pensioners" ...
In order to separate all these poor, but still good people, from “those who sow anarchy” on the streets, the president took out an inexpensive jacket from his pocket ( the Macron press service immediately after his election emphasized that he was of high-quality but inexpensive costumes for 300 euros ) several “gingerbread”:
A clock, worked out in excess of the norm, will not be taxed, and social deductions will not be deducted from them.
The President also asked all the enterprises of France, “having such an opportunity”, to pay employees the “Premium of the Year” and promised that this money would also be exempted from taxes.
Finally, Macron canceled the growth of social deductions for everyone who earns less than 2000 euros per month (and this is the answer, including pensioners who rebelled after increasing deductions by 1.7%).
At the same time, the president announced that he would not return the ISF (“tax on wealth”, his return is one of the fundamental requirements of the protesters). “This tax existed (in different types) for almost forty years. Have we started living better? " - the president explained his position.
Before listing all these measures, Macron said that he was announcing an “emergency for the economy and public relations”. In addition, the president recognized “his mistakes”, suggested that, “probably could not give quick answers” to the requests of citizens, and apologized to “those whom he could offend with his statements.”
After all, Macron has repeatedly been accused of making “neglecting statements” to the “loafers” who are not able to earn a living.
And in order to give an answer to those who consider him the “president of the rich” (since he first of all began to help them), Macron admitted: “I could create the feeling that (your problems) do not care that I have other priorities.” And he emphasized that although the ISF will not be returned, “Parliament and the government should put an end to the unfair benefits and tax care: the head of the French enterprise should pay taxes in France, and large companies that make a profit here must pay taxes here.”
The President promised that the issue of “more fair and effective” tax policy, as well as all other “most important issues for the nation” - the need to change the elective legislation, increase the role of direct democracy, decentralization of the country - will be considered during “broad popular consultations”. “I also want us to come to a national agreement on our original identity, so that we discuss the immigration issue,” Macron abandoned this phrase to try to knock out the electoral base of Marin Le Pen and the like.
But the president has not yet begun to refuse “deep economic and public reforms”, which had begun one and a half years ago. Moreover, he emphasized that the success of transformations is “our general responsibility”. And he recalled that “we all have obligations” - “to produce, in order to then redistribute”, “to learn to be free citizens”, “to change in order to realize the urgent need to repay our climatic and budget debts”.
Thus, Macron, firstly, tactfully recalled the “paternalist sentiments” that were common in French society in relation to the state budget; And secondly, he pricked the protesters who, for the sake of “saving the planet from global warming”, did not want to pay more expensive for gas and diesel fuel.
“We (together) are now at work,” Macron Autotraining took up in the final of his short handling. “And later I will return to report to you.”
Now the main question is whether to “report” and offer new “gingerbreads” very soon - whether the protesters will require new gifts from the budget.
And how much will these gifts cost? And how will you have to pay for them? Gingerbread cookies, promised right now, will cost “from 8 to 10 billion euros”, the Ministry ofBudge said. In the parliamentary commission on social affairs, 15 billion talks about.
But even this figure looks modest: for the authorities and business - against the backdrop of losses that the French economy suffered in just four weeks of protests (2 billion euros); For protesters - against the background of their problems.
On December 15, “Yellow vests” are going to go out onto the streets again. And on the 15th, “popular consultations” “with the participation of power and civil society” should begin. The key point for macron.
Under the text
"Foreign Agents" in yellow vests
By sowers of “anarchy and disorder”, Macron could mean not only the leaders of some French parties, but also “foreign agents”.
Firstly, Donald Trump, whom on December 9, the Foreign Minister Le Drian asked "not to intervene in French affairs." The fact is that in recent days the American president began to actively perform on Twitter in support of the “yellow vests” and reached Fake News that in Paris on December 1, the crowd allegedly shouted “We want Trump!”. It turned out that this was not in December, but in June not in Paris, but in London.
Secondly, on December 9, it became known that the French General Secretariat of Defense and National Security (SGDSN) began an investigation about the possible “use of influence mechanisms (on the course of protests) through the Internet” “by creating false accounts in social networks”.
This happened after the article in the Times newspaper, which stated that the "hundreds of accounts" "related to Russia" "tried to strengthen street protests shocked by France."
The British newspaper made this conclusion on the basis of an analysis of about 200 accounts, which allegedly regularly distribute the pro -Kremlin propaganda over the past two years. The analysis was carried out by one American company, which offers everyone to “protect against misinformation in social networks”. However, SGDSN emphasizes that it is too early to make charges against Russia, because this issue requires "conducting a serious and complicated investigation."
Finally, foreign citizens come to participate in the riots on French streets - mainly European anarchists and ultralery. But such trips are ordinary practice. In the same way, to other countries-to warm banks and shops during a summit or protest (as it was in Catalonia in 2017)-some French are leaving on occasion.