The Prime Minister answered questions from the French for two hours, Thursday evening, on TF1. The opportunity, according to Nicolas Beytout, to assert himself more as a manager of concrete questions, when Emmanuel Macron gives the main directions in the face of the coronavirus crisis.

Edouard Philippe, once again addressed all French people, Thursday evening, on TF1.

Yes, for the third time in just 5 days. First a word on the form of the program: I found the exercise very successful, both because very concrete (we don't need big flights, at the moment), and also because it allowed Mr. Toutlemonde to express himself. And what was very original was that this time, the people who were asking questions… were asking questions. I mean they weren't there to make political speeches or grand statements, but to get information. It changed us like Yellow Vests. And it's very good!

And the Prime Minister's performance, good, not good?

Listen, for the past few days, some have described Edouard Philippe as tense, annoyed; it was not seen on Thursday evening. There is a great tension in his words, a gravity, of course, because the crisis is potentially devastating, but there was no nervousness, apparent, in any case. It was even the opposite: explanations, explanations, more explanations. Now, the device at the head of the State seems to be more or less stuck. To Emmanuel Macron travel and speeches on the main orientations (for example on the reconquest of sovereignty, as we saw 2 days ago in Anjou).

And so, to Edouard Philippe the management of daily life…

Yes, what he did last Saturday, with Olivier Véran, the Minister of Health, and Thursday evening again. Always live from Matignon, like someone whose role is to be in the hold to verify that there is enough to weather the storms, one after the other. To Edouard Philippe, therefore, the daily, say what he knows, but also what he does not know, since this crisis conceals immense unknowns. This is what makes it so dangerous, in truth.

And obviously, that forces Edouard Philippe to often say that he doesn't know. It's a problem ?

For a politician, in ordinary times, yes, this is a problem. But in extraordinary times, not knowing cannot be blamed on anyone. Doctors and scientists themselves have made so many mistakes! Besides, none of them Thursday evening on the set had certainty. The result, and it was very striking, is that the head of government did not do any (political) politics. Thursday evening was the politics of everyday life.

The one that can spark this famous National Union demanded by the government?

Ideally, yes. But I found that on two occasions, Edouard Philippe was less comfortable, more hesitant: on the masks, and on the tests. In other words on the two main subjects of political controversy. Yes, shows like those on Thursday evening are essential to help understand and help hold on, they are certainly an important element for the confidence rating of governments, but they are only a parenthesis in political life.