This first unconfined weekend with sunny weather raises fears of a relaxation in the barrier measures against the new coronavirus. Friday Christophe Castaner, the Minister of the Interior warned: controls will be tightened. The executive remains on the lookout for fear of seeing a second wave of hospitalizations appear.
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The images of the weekend will be carefully scrutinized on television screens by the government. "We will be vigilant, especially with the weather" we say to Matignon. Emmanuel Macron himself told the prefects that he still wanted a high level of surveillance. Controls will be strengthened throughout the territory. In Paris, in particular, security forces will be mobilized to avoid gatherings at the Canal Saint-Martin or at La Villette, as noted at the start of the week.
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An accountability strategy
But "after 8 weeks of confinement, we must let the French breathe while respecting the barrier gestures," said a ministerial adviser. "It's not North Korea, we have an accountability strategy," said another close to Edouard Philippe. Same philosophy in the entourage of Olivier Véran, the Minister of Health: "It's been two months that we hammer the barrier gestures, we assume that people are responsible". And to add: "if we observe too much relaxation, a little reminder is not to be excluded".
If this first weekend of freedom will therefore serve as a test, it is especially the bridge next week that worries. A close relative of the Prime Minister warns: "We are going to watch the ascent a lot because there is a risk of transhumance which we do not want".