Queries are linked and look alike in macronie. Between the National Council for the Refoundation relaunched this Thursday to “build a national consensus”, the working groups with the party leaders after the Saint-Denis meetings and an upcoming social conference, Emmanuel Macron plays the dialogue card in all addresses. At the risk of disappointing without a concrete realization.
“It is good to consult, to listen to people who do not agree with us, but in the end you have to decide. Otherwise, it is useless,” summarizes Macronista deputy Éric Woerth to BFMTV.com.
“He didn’t want to work with us”
If some show their skepticism in the presidential arena, it is because these consultation instruments have not always proved their effectiveness in recent months and have even frankly turned into a fiasco, like the National Council for Refoundation.
Launched with great fanfare by the president in the middle of the legislative campaign, the initiative that could go as far as “submitting the proposals that arose from him to a referendum” failed.
Cet organe pensé pour réunir “les forces politiques, économiques, sociales, associatives, des élus des territoires et de citoyens tirés au sort” autour de la même table”, n’a jamais vraiment décollé. Le président avait pourtant mouillé la chemise, sans reach prevent its boycott by some political forces.
“Some partners did not want to work with us in good conditions, which prevents us from having solid lines of work,” replies a close friend of Emmanuel Macron.
“So that ?”
We can doubt that the atmosphere is better this Thursday. The unions have already announced that they reject the initiative. “A CNR for what?” Asks even Sophie Binet, the new head of the CGT before the AFP.
“They inform us of this and at the same time the Prime Minister announces that she will continue to use 49.3 and that the President of the Republic refuses to organize a referendum on pensions,” the trade unionist became angry.
“It’s frustrating, especially it gives the impression of being used”
Same story for the Saint-Denis meetings last week. For this “great political initiative”, the president managed to gather the leaders of all the parties around the same table for 12 hours. A challenge in a context of very tense relations with La France insoumise in a context of relative majority in the National Assembly.
But if the government spokesman, Olivier Véran, spoke of “a moment that could mark the political or even democratic history of our country”, the oppositions do not hide their skepticism. Even among those who support the head of state, some grimaces.
“The president has spoken, that’s fine, but make an appointment so we can talk again without ever saying what all this will lead to. It’s frustrating, above all it gives the impression that it is being done wrong,” laments a Saint participant. -Denis meeting.
“But I understand the objective well. The five-year term is struggling to get off the ground, we are waiting for the results of the measures launched. We must occupy the ground well,” advances this party president.
“People in front who reject the outstretched hand”
The left has already opened the door to a possible boycott despite the letter sent by the Élysée to all the participants in Saint-Denis. This letter will announce the launch of working groups and then a new meeting.
“The problem with the consultation is that if you have people in front of you who reject an outstretched hand, you can’t do anything, nothing will come of it. Our opponents say ‘no’ to any attempt to create the common,” criticizes Laurent Marcangeli, president of the deputies Horizons.
Emmanuel Macron, persist and sign. A social conference on low wages, already announced last March, should be held next October, before being relaunched at the Saint-Denis meeting.
After the retreats, a social conference that “does good”
While the initiative remains limited (discussions will only concern low wages below the minimum wage), it has been welcomed by unions.
“After the pension reform that broke all ties with them, it’s good to see that we are opening a new project, that we are going to re-establish the link. And then it shows that we are looking for a solution to the problems at the end of the month,” He also greets a representative of the Renaissance, a specialist in issues related to work.
Should we see in all these consultations a profound change in the philosophy of the Head of State? During his first years at the Élysée, the president hardly seemed inclined to social dialogue.
“I don’t know if there are other ways to do it”
“We need intermediate bodies, but in the right place,” the then candidate said very clearly during the 2017 campaign in the columns of the Parisian.
Since then, the yellow vests have been there, followed by the great debate and then the citizens’ climate convention.
“I don’t know if large consultations are the best way to fix democracy, but I also don’t know if there really are other ways to do it,” summarized Macronist deputy Robin Reda a few days before Saint-Denis.
“There’s nothing to lose by pretending you’re trying”
A ministerial adviser is more cynical and sees it more as a presidential calculation.
“I doubt that Macron really believes in these great masses. But since he knows that he will fail in any case, he does not lose anything by pretending that he is trying,” deciphers this relative from the alleys of power.
The Élysée affirms for its part “always seek ways of consensus to revitalize democracy and, ultimately, guarantee that people live better.”
Source: BFM TV
