It's day J. Edouard Philippe must speak this Thursday at 5 p.m. to announce the second phase of deconfinement. The Prime Minister will present details of the living conditions of the French for the coming weeks. Delicate exercise if any. Until late Tuesday evening, a handful of ministers worked on this plan around Emmanuel Macron and Edouard Philippe. And after this long evening of work, it is Thursday morning, during the Defense Council at the Élysée Palace, that the final arbitrations will be rendered.
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"Everything will be put back flat, it is hand-sewn," recognizes the entourage of the Prime Minister. The last choices relate to the local variations of deconfinement and the famous, much awaited cards. The inhabitants of Île-de-France and the northeast quarter of the country, still classified as "red", want to know if their department will finally turn green. And on this precise point, caution is advised. Especially since new criteria will be taken into account, in particular the number of positive tests for coronavirus.
The issue of travel over 100 km still unresolved
With this second phase, France must change its strategy. According to an elected official close to Matignon, "so far, the rule has been prohibition and there were exceptions. We are moving more and more towards the opposite". There is no shortage of subjects: the reopening of colleges, high schools, cafes, restaurants, parks and gardens, leisure activities ...
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There is also the question of travel more than 100 kilometers from the home, which is currently prohibited unless there are compelling reasons. This has not yet been decided. The only certainty, according to a member of the executive: "The day that we remove this limit, we will not give one 300 or 500 kilometers away."
Matignon plans three phases of deconfinement before returning to normal life. But always keep your foot on the brake. In the event of a resumption of the epidemic, the government's plan is intended to be reversible.