Last interview before the ejection seat? Prime Minister Michel Barnier received TF1 and France 2 this Tuesday, December 3 in the evening in Matignon, for an interview broadcast on 20 Heures on both channels on the eve of the examination of two motions of censure filed against his government. If he wanted to be combative and even wanted to believe that his survival at the head of the government was still «possible»Michel Barnier also painted a dark picture if he were to be censored. If you had better things to do, Libé summarizes the main points to remember from this intervention.
Surviving censorship “it’s possible” but it's not a personal issue
Michel Barnier wanted to make people believe that nothing is yet decided even if censorship from his government seems inevitable. Survive the motion of censure, “it’s possible, it depends on the deputies, who each have a share of responsibility, assured the tenant of Matignon, for whom “it’s possible that there is this reflex of responsibility” pour “the best interests of the country.” Because that is what it is about and not his own person, asserts Michel Barnier, swearing that “the official cars, the gold of the Republic, I don’t care.” “It’s not a question of political survival for mehe said again. I have been in this office for three months. I arrived there on September 5, telling myself that I could leave the next morning.”
In case of censorship “everything will be more difficult and everything will be more serious”
Bring out the trumpets of Revelation. Asked about the consequences of censorship, Michel Barnier was alarming. “What I am sure of is that if the motion of censure passes everything will be more difficult and everything will be more serious”blurted out the tenant of Matignon. Before developing: “Nearly 18 million French people will see their income tax increase and others will pay it for the first time. It’s inevitable.”
Asked about the possibility of making another move on the Social Security budget, the Prime Minister seems to say that he has gone to the limit of what was possible. “We made an effort, we decided to protect small pensions. A little effort is required from everyone else”assured Michel Barnier. According to him, not all demands can be accepted because the financial situation of the country does not allow it. “We will pay 60 billion in interest next year. This is more than the budget for Defense and National Education.he illustrated.
Of «respect» for the RN, not for “the extreme left”
When naming those responsible for the uncomfortable situation in which he was placed, Michel Barnier clearly hit one side more than the other. Regarding the motion of censure tabled by the parties of the New Popular Front, Michel Barnier castigated a “text written by the extreme left” which constitutes in a “lack of respect” in his terms. All before shifting into gear “the recent proposal from the far left to abolish the offense of inciting terrorism». “We have to know who is going to be with whom and who is going to be in solidarity with whom”says Barnier, trying to fracture his left-wing opponents. “I called two or three leaders of the Socialist Party, Olivier Faure and Boris Vallaud, they told me “we don’t want to see you now we will vote for censure””he was still offended.
Asked about the RN, the Prime Minister reacted with much more leniency, even if Marine Le Pen entered “in a sort of one-upmanship”. “I don't negotiate, I listened. Have you seen a group of RN parliamentarians be so numerous in the Fifth Republic? I respect them as I must respect 11 million citizens voted for them and understand why they voted for them”he developed. “There was no bargaining, there was listening”, “a sort of negotiation”further assured Michel Barnier.
Emmanuel Macron must not resign
Asked about the hypothesis of a resignation of the President of the Republic, called for by several political figures to resolve the crisis, Michel Barnier rejected the idea out of hand. “The President of the Republic was elected for 5 years, he was clearly elected, he has popular legitimacy”decides the Prime Minister. “He never discussed this hypothesis with me, neither he with me nor I with him, he said again. I work with him in confidence and I remain an independent man.”
