Jean Castex unveils his 100 billion euro plan to "win back" France

Six hundred days. This is the time allotted to the government of Jean Castex to put in place the post-Covid-19 economic recovery plan for France. In his general policy speech on Wednesday July 15, the new Prime Minister of Emmanuel Macron set the course for the end of the five-year term.

Faced with deputies for his big oral, 12 days after taking office, the Prime Minister said that his "first ambition, immense" will be to "reconcile these France so different, to weld them or to reweld them".

In this perspective, he developed the main lines of the last two years of the quinquennium: employment, efficiency of public action, economic sovereignty, ecological transition, social protection ...

In a very degraded context, "the fight against unemployment and the preservation of employment" will be "the absolute priority of the next 18 months", he assured by specifying measures mentioned the day before by President Emmanuel Macron, as a hiring bonus of 4,000 euros per year for young people, or efforts on training.

LIVE | Statement of general policy to the National Assembly of the Prime Minister @JeanCASTEX. https://t.co/UubHWcsSzI

Reclaiming the economy and the territories

Jean Castex also outlined the outlines of the 100 billion euro recovery plan, planned for the start of the school year, which will focus on "economic recovery" and the territories.

About 40 billion euros will be earmarked for industry, he said, arguing that France had reached "a level of dependence that is not reasonable".

Twenty billion will be spent on thermal renovation of buildings and green technologies. And the recovery plan will carry "a very ambitious bike plan", he promised, pleading for "ecological growth" in the face of "green decline".

The head of government also wanted urban renewal work to be launched in 300 of the 450 districts selected "by the end of 2021".

The Prime Minister, who portrays himself as a man of the territories, sent them signals announcing that all job creation of civil servants will be in the departmental services, and not in the central administrations. And a "right to differentiation" will soon be enshrined in an organic law.

Young people are particularly targeted on the social side, with the announcement of meals at one euro for scholarship students in university restaurants and the increase in the back-to-school allowance of 100 euros.

The "necessary" reforms

Six billion will be invested in the health system, added Jean Castex, who signed on Monday salary increases for caregivers.

As for pension reform, it remains "necessary" but it will be necessary to distinguish "financial measures", he insisted.

Finally, the Prime Minister insisted on "the republican pact", underlining the "major concern" of the government to fight against radical Islamism. A bill to "fight against separatism" must be presented at the start of the school year.

Jean Castex also wished to create "in the territories of local judges" who will be responsible for suppressing the "incivilities of everyday life", by promising a "firm response".

With AFP

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