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Headlines: Emmanuel Macron straight in his boots

“ Emmanuel Macron definitely likes the opposite , notes Le Monde . While observers expected a mea culpa from the head of state on the occasion of his end-of-year wishes, or at least a gesture towards the French mobilized for almost a month against his pension reform, it is on the contrary an offensive speech of more than eighteen minutes that the President of the Republic held, last night, ensuring that there was no question for him to give up "transforming" the country. [...] Emmanuel Macron has driven the point home. The (pension reform) project "will be completed," he said, "because it is, he said, a justice and social progress project." . "

In fact, Liberation points out, “ Emmanuel Macron did not make any announcements that could lead to the end of the crisis. [...] Just the head of state said that "with the trade union organizations which want it", "wait" for "the government of Edouard Philippe, that it finds the way of a rapid compromise". Which ? We will not know more in 2019… [...] In line with his Prime Minister , Liberation continues, he recalled that he intended "to guarantee the balance of the pay-as-you-go system which is ours" and that " today "," millions of French people are forced to work beyond the age of 64 ". Either the bar set by the executive to leave with a full rate retirement, but, the newspaper points out, there will be no mention of a "pivotal age" during the 18 minutes of speech or of this "age of equilibrium" which annoys the CFDT. No sign either that the head of state would have the idea, to secure the support of the first union in France, to drop this measure. Meager concession to the power plant managed by Laurent Berger : taking "into account (difficult) tasks". The next negotiations which begin next Tuesday on the arduousness will say if this sentence announces more concessions. "

" Macron castigates the immobility, but does not move an iota, " exclaims his side Mediapart. “ On the 27th day of the strike against his pension reform, the President of the Republic delivered agreed wishes last night. Always so sure of his fact, he was content to repeat that he would carry out his project "to its end", despite the social anger. And criticized those who do not want to move, without proposing progress. "

Winning sequence?

Finally, notes Le Midi Libre , " by reaffirming his desire not to let go of the pension reform, Emmanuel Macron is swelling his fierce opponents, more determined than ever to block the country. [...] Except that the sequence can also prove to be winning for the President , estimates the newspaper, which was first, and above all, addressed to the French eager to erase the social injustices, in progress for far too long. Macron did not speak to the strikers last night but to the "world of work", he did not speak to the protesters but to the citizens favorable to the reform who are afraid of what they still do not know. So, risk ? On the street, certainly. But he is targeting the ballot boxes. And there, it remains very open . "

In any case, concludes L'Indépendant , “ it will not be easy for the government to reach a rapid compromise, while social dialogue is bogged down and that, for the moment, no concession concerning the pivotal age or the point system is announced. "

The train of reforms

Emmanuel Macron also reaffirmed it last night: the reforms will continue…

" The outcome of the ongoing conflict over pension reform will guide the rest of Emmanuel Macron's five-year term ," notes Le Figaro . If he succeeds in carrying out his campaign promise of a universal pension scheme, the president will preserve his political capital and will be able to continue his reform effort. And the files are already piling up in Parliament , points the newspaper. The reform of public broadcasting is due to arrive at the Assembly in February. The text, which provides for the creation of a hat company bringing together Radio France and France Télévisions, is also sensitive and arouses opposition within the profession. Another project for the government, that of dependence , still notes Le Figaro : the law "Grand AGE and Autonomy" was to be passed before the end of 2019, but it paid the price for the stagnation of the pension reform. The text, which must be reactivated in 2020, intends to perpetuate the funding of the sector and improve the care of the elderly by strengthening the staff in Ehpad. Also postponed, the delivery of the Thiriez report on the reform of the senior civil service, should take place at the end of January. The lawyer and former president of the Professional Football League, Frédéric Thiriez, must in particular propose avenues for in-depth reform of the ENA. "

What will Carlos Ghosn say?

Also on the front page, Carlos Ghosn's incredible cavalry…

" It is a dramatic coup worthy of a spy novel, which has shocked far beyond France. Carlos Ghosn, who has triple French, Lebanese and Brazilian nationality, under house arrest in Tokyo, is in Beirut ! [...] Thrown in prison in Japan, then assigned to residence since April 25 after the payment of a bail of 12 million euros, the Samurai one of his many nicknames has escaped the vigilance of the authorities Japanese. [...] Carlos Ghosn confirmed, yesterday, that he had found refuge in Lebanon. A country from which he cannot be extradited because he has the nationality. Better still, he has set up a meeting with the media next week, planning to organize a press conference. "

So beware, says Le Parisien , " the ex-Emperor of the automobile, as he was nicknamed, always denounced a conspiracy against him to weaken the alliance he led. His legal situation in Japan prevented him from saying much more. Now he will be able to let go of his blows and maybe a few names. "

Two hypotheses, Pointe Sud-Ouest : “ Either Carlos Ghosn is guilty of financial embezzlement and tax evasion, as Japanese prosecutors say. Will thus be brought to light all the system that had put in place the ex-CEO whose greed and madness of greatness were covered, in France as in Japan, as long as this brilliant polytechnician made fruit the group that he led with an iron fist. Either Carlos Ghosn is innocent of what he is accused of. And he will appear as the victim of a dark conspiracy hatched by his former collaborators who closed their eyes to his luxurious lifestyle to better carry him the heck when the time comes, that is to say when he called to his wishes a new stage in the Renault-Nissan merger which would have injured the Japanese. In either case , concludes Sud-Ouest , the Ghosn affair will not restore the coat of arms of international capitalism, which seems to be free from all democratic, fiscal or judicial rules, not to mention decency the most basic. "