Let us be clear, it was not a presidential-level press conference, such as those conducted by Emmanuel Macron's predecessors, that we witnessed.
Emmanuel Macron delivered a general policy speech, successful in some aspects (the mastery of the files, the areas covered), failed in others. Indeed, such an exercise is done upon taking office, not after almost seven years in the exercise of power. To try to conceal the record, the President resorted to a few subterfuges. The classic ones, blaming his predecessors, notably François Hollande. More sophisticated are his remarks on the question of the rise in the cost of electricity. Wrapped in a smoke screen so that nobody understands anything (or as little as possible), it is understood that the return to «normality» means a massive hike. But it will be up to the government to make the French swallow the pill.
Harsh on this government who, in the absence of the slightest announcement now that all areas have been addressed (what will Gabriel Attal be able to add during his general policy speech?), is tasked with delivering the bad news. Base purchasing power strategy on a hypothetical slowdown in inflation seems rather fragile and random when it is the main concern of French people.
Regarding the unprecedented riots experienced by our country in the month of June (Pierre Brochand, former head of the DGSE, had considered that the «country's vital prognosis was at stake» and that never had such a large number of rioters been seen since the French Revolution), Emmanuel Macron will have attributed them to the ’idleness« of secondary school pupils, once again denying the scale of the political crisis our country is going through.
Unsurprisingly, it is in foreign policy that Emmanuel Macron has been the least convincing. On the Middle East conflict, regarding which no one expects anything more from France as its voice is unclear and therefore without influence, Emmanuel Macron contented himself with congratulating himself on the humanitarian aid provided to the civilian populations of the Gaza Strip. At no point did he mention a «disproportionate» response or raise the possibility of showing firmness towards the Netanyahu government. He soon forgets that humanitarian aid without a concurrent policy of pressure only serves to leave the field open to the strongest. According to him, October 7th justifies everything, as if the situation that prevailed previously was tenable and as if the terrorism perpetrated by Hamas on October 7th excused the soldiers of a regular army from engaging in the massacre of civilian populations. Finally, recalling France's attachment to the sovereignty and integrity of Lebanon, he did not provide the procedure to achieve this other than telephone interviews. Emmanuel Macron stated that 'there was no risk of obliteration, that our diplomacy was strong and unaligned». Probably the funniest moment of this long press conference, given that reality is the exact opposite. Staggering decline in just a few years and total alignment with the United States.
There was in this show neither a vision of France in the next 10 or 20 years, nor any breath of inspiration. In reality, nothing of what one expects from a President of the Republic—«the man in charge of the essential»—according to General de Gaulle. Emmanuel Macron runs France like a CEO running their board of directors. Themes broken down, figures, plus points and minus points. Without politico-historical grounding, without passion for France and the French.
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