French President Emmanuel Macron promised on Wednesday to "protect the weakest" in the face of the country's multiple crises, by supporting purchasing power and small businesses hit by rising energy prices. He also addressed the contentious issue of retirement age, saying he was willing to envisage 64 years instead of 65, but that reforms were unavoidable.
"We are going through numerous crises," Macron told the host of the France 2 television interview on Wednesday night, pointing to the war in Ukraine and its consequences on energy and prices as well as the Covid-19 pandemic.
"To get through the storm, we must protect the weakest and we must push those who have more strength to do even better," he insisted.
"That's my goal, a stronger France, to be fairer and more peaceful".
He reiterated the protective measures put in place from the end of 2021 to control the rise in energy prices, believing that they had enabled France to better cushion the shock of inflation than its neighbors, with 6 percent against 10 percent elsewhere.
From January, he said aid would be delivered to those who need it most, the most modest families, students and small companies.
Small businesses with fewer than ten employees and make less than two million euros in turnover, are eligible for the regulated electricity sales tariff, which the government has capped the increase at 15 percent in 2023.
The executive will also guarantee financial help to medium size companies and local authorities.
Value sharing
When quizzed about so-called "super profits", the president reiterated his opposition to a specific tax as demanded by the left. But he admitted the subject of "value sharing" was necessary.
"I believe in a France of work and merit," he said. "For us to continue to move forward, we must create more work, create more jobs, more strength, but we must at the level of each company have a fairer distribution and that is real social dialogue".
Macron however, ruled out an indexation of wages to compete with inflation, as demanded by certain unions, renewing his calls for a "fairer distribution" of profits in companies, through social dialogue.
When it came to discussing pension reforms, Macron said he was "open" to a postponement of the legal retirement age to 64, and not 65 as he had promised during the presidential campaign, in the event of an extension of the contribution period.
Preserve social model
"Pension reform is essential if we want to continue to preserve our social model," he insisted.
"There’s only one way to do it if we are lucid. Since we are living longer, it’s to work longer," he said, adding that the minimum retirement age to get full a pension would be gradually increased from 62 now to 65 by 2031.
Most opposition parties, as well as workers unions, are opposed to the proposed pension changes and have not been shy in showing their discontent either in parliament or in street protests.
Earlier this week, his government survived three no-confidence votes prompted by some opposition lawmakers from the left and the far-right to protest the use of a special constitutional power known as "49.3" to force budget bills through the National Assembly.
Macron's tone was distinctly icy as he denounced the opposition with which his camp has had to fight since he lost an absolute majority in the Assembly in June.
"They showed one thing: they are not on the side of merit, of order, of work, of the solution, of progress, they are on the side of disorder and cynicism, and I'm telling you, it won't work".
Instead, the President is counting on lawmakers from the conservative The Republicans (LR) party to pass domestic reforms.
Out of touch
However, this alliance is not a done deal, according to Olivier Marleix, president of the LR group in the National Assembly.
"Basically, we still don't know where Emmanuel Macron wants to lead the country. Day-to-day management, subject by subject, that's debt but it doesn't not a policy," he said.
Among the other reactions to Macron's interview, criticism over the leader's lack of awareness when it comes to the struggles of ordinary citizens.
"Inflation and anger of the French have no hold on him...his line is disconnected from the daily lives of the French people. Efforts are always demanded of the same people. Never on the richest. A dangerous policy of turning a blind eye," Patrick Kanner, President of the Socialist Group in the Senate said.
Mathilde Panot, president of the far left party La France Insoumise (LFI) accused Macron himself of cynicism.
"Thanks to the voices of the (far-right) RN, Macron's followers rejected a rise in wages, the capping of rents, the return of the ISF (wealth tax). When there's disorder the presidential minority scatters like a puzzle".
