Time.news — It is indeed in the past that it is now appropriate to speak of the famous maxim of the President of the Republic.
Over the past fortnight, Mr. Macron first explained to the French that “our freedom has a cost” and that she can demand sacrifices, before evoking before her ministers “the end of abundance”, “obviousness”et “recklessness”. The “whatever it takes” does indeed belong to bygone times…
In his editorial in Le Figaro, August 25, Yves Thréard underlines this spectacular change of footing and contrasts it with the tone of wishes to the nation of Emmanuel Macron on December 31, the Head of State then declaring himself “resolutely optimistic for the coming year”.
Of course, one can always object that the war in Ukraine was not declared, and that the international situation is today terribly affected.
However, it is possible to observe that a few months before the presidential election, the outgoing president had good reason to put on rose-colored glasses to announce a bright future to the French people.
Moreover, this election is still in the minds of our compatriots who have not forgotten that, to be re-elected, Mr. Macron deliberately opted for a campaign reduced to the strict minimum. If the strategy worked for the presidential election, the war in Ukraine helping, on the other hand the failure was total during the legislative elections.
President of Europe, and President of France, we were going to see what we were going to see! In the end, we didn’t see much and, today, the Head of State finds himself forced to prepare people’s minds for a disillusioned tomorrow. It’s like returning to the turning point of the rigor of 1983 when, after three devaluations of the franc in two years, François Mitterrand found himself in the obligation to change policy and to make accounts.
If there is no question of denying the difficulties of the times we are living in and, even more so, of those we are going to live through, it is clear that the President would have another credibility to call on the French people to effort if he himself had spoken the truth during the presidential election. Because, already, it was very clear that our country was not going to be able to continue to live at the insane rhythm of the “whatever it takes”generating… 500 billion euros in additional public debt.
Rise in prices, and particularly in compulsory household expenses such as food, fuel and energy (if the sanctions against Russia did not stop the war, we can see their impact on supplies as well as on the cost of energy!), lower economic growth and, consequently, threats to employment, inexorable explosion of insecurity linked to the disappearance of State authority, adrift health system, education nationality shunned by teachers, these are some of the characteristics of the context in which the country will have to be governed and reformed, other than by incantations, and… without a majority in the National Assembly. Extensive program!
How sweet the weather was “whatever it takes” ! But now the illusions are fading, and the harsh realities are setting in. After having sung for a whole five years, the cicada finds itself very helpless when the breeze blows.