François Bayrou was the guest of France 2, this Thursday, December 19 at 8:40 p.m. The summary of his intervention.
“Prime Minister without government, without budget”, François Bayrou was the guest of France 2 this Thursday
What is the outcome in Mayotte?
It is the “greatest catastrophe our country has experienced in a long time (…) The island is completely devastated.”
On the human toll, Frenchman Bayrou “31 victims”, a toll which could be worse with many people still under the rubble, particularly in isolated regions and the numerous shanty towns on the island.
To rebuild Mayotte, “we must set a much faster deadline” than the 5 years which were necessary to rebuild Notre-Dame de Parid
A government “before Christmas”
“The government must be presented over the weekend, at least before Christmas,” he assures.
“We have no budget”, a first in 65 years, condemning the censorship of the Barnier government.
Wishing the presence of all the parties who came this Thursday during the day to Matignon, the Prime Minister adds that he will find “the means to share information” with LFI and the RN.
“We won’t be able to get out of this if we’re not together,” he insisted while “everyone is speculating about the chaos…”
He described this system of government: “There are three circles” according to him, those who participate, those who oppose but who agree to dialogue, and those who support.
“I will not use 49.3 unless there is a blockage on the budget,” he clarified, asking that for a given time, accept that the government lives and moves forward.
Unless there are any surprises, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau should stay, like other members of the Barnier government. But François Bayrou wants the left to participate in the government. “I would like different sensibilities to come together.”
Pensions, a reform to be reviewed
Resume discussions without suspending the reform? Yes, according to François Bayrou. “The debate could have been brought among the French,” he laments, however. The 2023 pension reform is “shaky, questionable”, answering “I believe it” to the question of whether there was another solution to retirement at 64.
“It is normal for those who are at the jackhammer to leave earlier,” he adds, saying that he accepts, however, “to reopen the debate on all subjects concerning pensions… “We can find a different organization, but the question of financing arises. However, “it shames me that it is the coming generations, the youngest, who find themselves in the plow”.
“We are resuming, but we are not suspending” pension reform, he insists. “It’s a good faith open door.”
A budget in mid-February?
there is no budget for 2025, which creates a lot of concern among the French.
However, with this budget, we need “a plan to rebalance our public finances”, says François Bayrou, referring to a 10-year deadline for this plan, which will not necessarily involve taxes.
“France is the most taxed country in Europe”. It is not through taxes that we balance a society. “We need taxes, we have a unique model in the world which is all for one. I am for our social model.”
So who will pay? The Prime Minister mentions the companies that must be “favored”, which “are our economic fabric”.
We must also make production efforts, like Germany: “If we produced as well as the others, we would not have problems financing retirement.”
“I hope we can have a budget in mid-February” 2025, he hopes. But “I think we need to save money.” I’ve been asking the question of debt for a long time, because I saw the wall.” “Debt pisses everyone off.”
How to reduce it? “You will see it,” he replies, adding that we would have to “negotiate” with the other parties. A lead? A “better organization of the central state.”
Court cases
The conviction of Nicolas Sarkozy? “It hurt me”
Gisèle Pelicot? “She dared to face the worst of the worst, the absolute, disgusting horror, by the man with whom she shared her life. I said thank you to her, I was overcome with admiration at this audacity to expose the worst of the worse for others.”
