In a neat communication operation, Emmanuel Macron displayed, Friday, September 30 in Pau, his good understanding with François Bayrou, the president of the MoDem. There was not “never had a falling out” between the two majority partners, assured the latter, after several weeks of assumed differences on the pension reform.
François Bayrou has repeatedly warned the President of the Republic against a “forced passage” to pass the reform. The deputies of the MoDem have threatened to oppose this one in the event of adoption by the way of a simple amendment within the framework of the examination of the budget of the social security.
Disagreements, there was no longer any question on Friday. The mayor of Pau and the President of the Republic multiplied the accolades by inaugurating the Foirail, the new cultural center of Pau, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, of which François Bayrou is the mayor, which includes a performance hall and a cinema of art and testing.
This visit, planned for a long time, came two days after a dinner which brought together the executives of the majority on Wednesday at the Élysée to stall the method and relaunch the pension reform, one of the most sensitive issues of the beginning of the second five-year term.
By deciding to reopen a cycle of consultations before the adoption of a bill by ” the end of winter “The head of state “settled because the thesis I was defending was indisputable”said the boss of the Modem to journalists. “What would the mood be like if we came out of dinner saying, “We are going strong” ? »he wondered, assuring that there was “never had annoyance”between him and the president.
“There was, not with him, but with some of those who speak on his behalf, entourages or the government, a fairly strong difference in appreciation”he pointed out, however. “For trying” the passage in force, “I know it never works”he added, regretting that “preparatory work” ait “been badly done”.
“Parliament has the power to overthrow the government”
The president of the Modem nevertheless refused to pose as the winner. “Not that I don’t like winning and I don’t hate losing”he launched. “Afterwards if there are blockages, it’s something else”he said in response to fears of a firefight from unions and the opposition that proponents of a fast-track review of reform were putting forward.
The president has waved the threat of dissolution in the event of a vote of no confidence against the government. “Parliament has the power to overthrow the government, it’s the motion of censure, but the moment it overthrows, inevitably it puts its own life at risk”underlined François Bayrou.
During the short visit to Pau, his fifth since his election in 2017, Emmanuel Macron said nothing about pension reform. In his speech, he insisted on the importance of culture in the fight against “house arrest”in particular with the generalization of the culture pass, “crazy idea” to which “I hold infinitely”. “Culture is access to the universal”he said.
Nothing had been left to chance for the presidential visit, with the screening of an extract from the « Grande Illusion » in opening – “I think it’s one of your favorite films”launched Mr. Bayrou – and the Symphony “From the New World” by Dvorak, played by the orchestra of Pau, in grand finale. The only quack, a sign held up by a resident from a balcony, “I want to be able to retire before the climate collapses”withdrawn by the police before the arrival of the Head of State.