Marseille (AFP)

The visit of Emmanuel Macron on Thursday to the controversial Marseille professor Didier Raoult, herald of the treatment with hydroxychloroquine against Covid-19, illustrates the will of the president to consult in all directions before new decisions in the coronavirus crisis.

The Head of State stayed 3:30 hours at the Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire (IHU) Méditerranée Infection, where he visited modern installations before speaking with Professor Raoult, without the presence of journalists.

The infectious disease specialist presented him with the latest study of his services, not yet officially published, which confirms, according to him, the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine (derivative of chloroquine, a drug against malaria) from the onset of first symptoms of coronavirus. Results of which a certain number of doctors and scientists question the scope.

But the Elysée insisted on the fact that this meeting did not represent "recognition" of the teacher's method. "The president wants to take into account all the tests and studies, including that of Professor Raoult (...) It is not for him to settle the debate, which must be decided scientifically", underlined her entourage.

He was accompanied throughout the day by Professor Jean-François Delfraissy, president of the scientific council of Covid-19 who has advised him since the start of the health crisis.

- "Recognition" -

Since the beginning of the epidemic, Emmanuel Macron has moved around ten times in contact with the caregivers or social workers mobilized, but the surprise visit to Marseille has taken on a particular character due to the debate which agitates both opinion and the political class over Professor Raoult.

"In his concern to embody national unity, Emmanuel Macron wants to show that he listens to different points of view", and does not "want to ignore a working path that is widely debated", remarks Bruno Cautrès , researcher at Cevipof.

For the expert Frédéric Dabi, this visit, which is "a strong act", is at the same time "a way of controlling the speech of Didier Raoult because he will not be able to say that he was not listened to" but also "a formidable legitimization of this researcher", however controversial.

There were many political reactions, in particular from the right-wing elected representatives who took up the cause of Professor Raoult's protocol. Like Renaud Muselier, LR president of the South Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, who saw in the visit "a mark of recognition of the State for this great doctor but also the demonstration that Emmanuel Macron can listen ".

"The president is absolutely right to take the advice of Dr. Raoult," responded Christian Estrosi, the mayor LR of Nice. "This is what you expect from a warchief: not just surround yourself with advisers who can toss you around from morning to night, but be able to arbitrate by going to find out for yourself realities on the ground, "he added on BFMTV.

For Marine Le Pen, the president of the RN, the head of state "runs after the events" by going to meet Didier Raoult, whose request to leave the doctors free to be able to prescribe chloroquine to the patients is approved by a majority of French according to polls.

"We must not see any political dimension to this trip," insisted the Elysee.

The Minister of Health Olivier Véran had called last weekend not to skip the stages, stressing that we will soon know the first intermediate results of clinical studies, which aim to determine whether chloroquine but also "other Promising drugs "are effective when taken early in the disease.

In the coming days, Emmanuel Macron will continue to "consult a large number of public and private actors, French, European and international" in order to prepare the speech to the French that he will deliver on Monday at 8:02 p.m., notably to confirm the extension containment, according to the Elysée.

© 2020 AFP