Paris (AFP)
Double baptism of fire Wednesday for the "combat" government of Jean Castex who will be under fire from questions from deputies and senators, while the Prime Minister intends to defend his program for "reconstruction" and his ministers including Gérald Darmanin, target feminists.
After a few days of congratulations, reassuring declarations of intent and transfers of powers, the new government led by the new Prime Minister Jean Castex must take its first steps on Wednesday in the heart of the parliamentary arena with traditional question and answer sessions. news.
They are scheduled in the National Assembly at 11 a.m. and then at 3 p.m. in the Senate. After which MEPs will resume consideration of the third draft crisis budget.
Place now for "practical work", as stressed Tuesday morning the President of the Senate Gérard Larcher, citing in particular the economic crisis, unemployment, the situation of young people, the "Ségur de la santé" or the pension reform and the addiction.
Before going to see the elected officials, Mr. Castex must be questioned on RMC / BFMTV from 8:30 am.
The government team is not quite complete since it must soon welcome "the entry of secretaries of state on priority missions", said Tuesday the new spokesman Gabriel Attal, in order to finalize this " combat government "or" 600 day "government.
The head of state, calling for "a profound change in method", set "four main axes", he noted.
First pillar: "the reconstruction of our country", "economic", "social", "environmental", "cultural" and "territorial", he detailed. The second axis is "republican patriotism", he added, referring to "equal opportunities" and the defense of institutions such as "police and justice".
The executive also wants to develop a "contractual policy" with the territories and local elected representatives and also intends to rely on Europe, the fourth pillar, "since we will not build our independence without a strongest European policy" , said Gabriel Attal.
Jean Castex has planned to start receiving social partners from Wednesday evening, Thursday and Friday morning, particularly on the explosive pension issue.
Hoping to conclude the Ségur de la Santé by the end of the week, he announced as early as Tuesday in a tweet that the envelope for the salaries of caregivers excluding doctors was increased to 7.5 billion euros. And he himself went to bring the news to the negotiators, playing surprise guests at a union meeting Tuesday evening.
But the latter said they were disappointed by this new envelope and the meeting ended without agreement, after six hours of negotiations. They must resume on Wednesday at 2 p.m.
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Emmanuel Macron intends to specify his course for the rest of the quinquennium during an interview on July 14.
It is only then that the Prime Minister can make his declaration of general policy before the National Assembly.
Until then, the government must meet in a seminar on Saturday morning. At this stage, it is made up of sixteen ministers, fourteen deputy ministers and a secretary of state, most of whom were in the previous government.
Among the newcomers, the criminal lawyer Eric Dupond-Moretti was particularly observed during his handover.
"I am not making war on anyone," he launched, the day after the USM, the main magistrates' union, declared that his appointment was a "declaration of war on the judiciary".
The new Keeper of the Seals has promised to bring "finally the reform of the prosecution". At the end of the Council of Ministers, he went to Fresnes prison (Val-de-Marne) to signify his support for prison officers.
Another appointment commented, that of Gérald Darmanin at the Ministry of the Interior, who had to face the anger of feminists, some of whom tried to disrupt the transfer of power with his predecessor Christophe Castaner, by calling for the resignation of the minister targeted by a complaint. for rape.
Its promotion has also been seen by some as significant of the influence of Nicolas Sarkozy on the new government: in addition to Jean Castex, who was deputy secretary general of the Elysée in 2011-2012, the new team gives pride of place to those close to the former president, notably Roselyne Bachelot (Culture) or Bruno Le Maire, all-powerful boss of Bercy.
Two other large portfolios, however, remain in the hands of personalities from the PS such as Jean-Yves Le Drian at Foreign Affairs and Florence Parly at the Armed Forces. Olivier Dussopt, another ex-PS, is in charge of Public Accounts.
© 2020 AFP