After 49.3, Emmanuel Macron tries to reunite his ministers and his majority during a meeting at the Elysée

The scene had an air of deja vu. This Tuesday, March 21, under the golds of the village hall of the Elysée Palace, Emmanuel Macron had invited, around an aperitif composed of wines and small croque-monsieur, the elected officials of his majority, stunned, frustrated and sometimes angry. The adoption without a vote of the pension reform by article 49.3 of the Constitution, after weeks of stormy debates, set the country ablaze and propelled the elected Macronists into the heart of social anger. The Head of State does not regret anything.

Read also: Article reserved for our subscribers In the National Assembly, the government narrowly escapes censorship but finds itself more isolated than ever

“Using the Constitution to pass a reform is always a good thing if we want to be respectful of our institutions”proclaimed the President of the Republic in an atmosphere described as friendly but serious. “If we had gone to the vote and lost, you wouldn’t be happy tonight”he underlined, assuring that he wanted “avoid the howls of joy of the Nupes [Nouvelle Union populaire écologique et sociale] and RN [Rassemblement national] ».

The elected representatives of the presidential coalition hoped for a listening president. They found a determined head of state, who warned that he would not resort to reshuffling, dissolution or referendum. “In a democracy, it is not because a text passes by very few voices that it is illegitimate. It was demonstrated yesterday that there is no alternative majority to yours”thundered Emmanuel Macron, himself powerless to find a reliable majority in the Assembly. “Who is the force that offered you a compromise? None “he outbid.

No mea culpa, therefore. Just a confession. “If there is one thing that we have failed to do, it is to share the need for this reform”, even less ” coercion with social forces”. “But we couldn’t do otherwise”he evacuated, making Elisabeth Borne applaud, Olivier Dussopt and Gabriel Attal.

“In “full conscience” with Elisabeth Borne”

All day, the Elysee Palace staged Emmanuel Macron’s talks with the ministers and leaders of the majority, summoned to find a way out of the stalemate. “He consults a lot, the art of governing is very serious, supports an Elysian communications adviser. The mechanics of government will come later. The president is in “full conscience” with Elisabeth Borne. » This overhaul would go through a new roadmap from Matignon, with an agenda and texts to be voted on as a priority.

Read also: Article reserved for our subscribers Pension reform: Elisabeth Borne clings to her post, Emmanuel Macron is looking for a way out

Emmanuel Macron also called for a new “change of method”, according to its usual refrain. Her “new method” he projected in April 2022, “corresponds to the aspiration of all our compatriots”To “a desire to be associated, to participate, to act”. To refine this course, the Head of State gives himself a period of two to three weeks, the time to lower the pressure, when social anger is growing.

You have 64.29% of this article left to read. The following is for subscribers only.