Students and businessmen, same fight. While high school students prepare for the big oral exam, from June 19 to 30, the last two candidates for the Medef presidency have already passed the exercise this Tuesday.
Gathered around the current president Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux, on the original stage of the Cinémathèque Française in Paris, Dominique Carlac’h and Patrick Martin each had 45 minutes to present the main lines of their program and answer questions from the 1,100 future voters, most of whom followed this great oral from a distance.
Dominique Carlac’h, candidate for change and modernity
After the draw, it was Dominique Carlac’h who spoke first. The current Medef spokesperson has tried to stand out by posing as a candidate for change and modernity, in the face of a Medef that she considers too conservative.
While Patrick Martin made growth the keyword of his speech, she tried to make it old-fashioned by explaining that growth, job cuts, or even administrative simplification were a no-brainer.
Therefore, the candidate insisted on other issues such as the organization of work. According to her, the Medef cannot ignore these issues. More generally, Dominique Carlac’h stressed that the Medef risked being marginalized if it remained too conservative.
Patrick Martin is confident in his balance sheet
Second candidate to speak on the stage of the great hall Henri Langlois de la Cinematheque, Patrick Martin, has hung him on the balance sheet of the Medef these last five years, while he was number 2: reduction of production taxes, implementation of the PGE or even learning aid that he himself negotiated, “in distress”, he says, before Muriel Pénicaud left the Labor Ministry.
The deputy vice president of the employers’ association once again insisted on growth, the key to finding room for maneuver and giving answers on all other issues: climate, employment or even purchasing power…
Public debate on June 26 on BFM Business
In the room and by videoconference, the 1,100 voters (Medef members) had time to listen to the arguments of the two candidates and, for those who were still doubtful, perhaps to make a decision regarding the elections that will take place on the 6th of July.
But some have already made their choice. Recently, several big bosses have come out of the woods to support Dominique Carlac’h, starting with Jean-Dominique Sénard at Renault, Christel Heydemann at Orange or even the president of the Federation of private hospitalization.
I’m not sure this is enough to reverse the trend against Patrick Martin, who is supported by heavyweights like the UIMM (the metalworking federation) or even the President of the Building Federation, and is still favorite in this choice.
The last undecided, and the general public, will have one last chance to get an idea of the two candidates during a debate organized on the BFM Business antenna on June 26 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Source: BFM TV
