Covid-19 in France: Jean Castex tries to calm the anger of small traders
Prime Minister Jean Castex, November 1, 2020 on TF1's 8 p.m. newscast.
TF1
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2 min
The Prime Minister urged the French this Sunday to respect confinement, "essential" to get out of it as quickly as possible, and announced the closure of non-essential shelves in supermarkets to appease the anger of small businesses.
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"
The French are moaning, the French are in difficulty
" and "
I understand the weariness of our fellow citizens, I understand the difficulties of each other
," said Jean Castex at 8 pm on TF1.
But we must "
be extremely vigilant, that we respect this confinement: it is
for the survival of the economy, it is for our collective health
", he added.
"The
better you respect the rules today
(...),
the faster we will be able to get out
", the Prime Minister insisted, referring to the end of the confinement planned for the moment on December 1 "
if he has, like we hope, produces its effects
”.
Anger of small traders
On the side of small traders, anger does not weaken.
With this new confinement, restaurants, bars and businesses deemed “
non-essential
” must keep the curtain down.
But a few weeks before the end of year celebrations, small businesses selling toys and books denounce unfair competition from supermarkets - authorized to remain open - and online platforms, including Amazon.
Faced with this bronca of traders and many mayors, "
we will not go back on the measures announced, it is much too early
", replied the Prime Minister, who spoke on Sunday by videoconference with the professional federations (Medef, CPME, Professional Union of Small Traders) and associations of local traders.
However, he announced the closure from Tuesday of non-essential shelves in supermarkets.
A decision that may upset large retailers, whose federation had expressed a few hours earlier of its "
total incomprehension
" and its "
opposition
" to a closure of non-food departments.
(With
AFP
)
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Jean Castex
Confinement