Emmanuel Macron's speech on March 31, 2021. -

Elysee

  • Emmanuel Macron announced this Wednesday evening new measures to curb the coronavirus epidemic in France, which is experiencing its third wave, a year after the first.

  • The Head of State has extended to the entire territory the restrictive measures already in force in 19 departments.

  • For La République en Marche, these choices show that the Head of State did not give in to pressure from doctors and part of the opposition who pleaded for stricter confinement.

They met just after the presidential speech, obviously on video.

The deputies of La République en Marche connected after the announcements made this Wednesday at 8 p.m. by Emmanuel Macron to deal with the third wave of coronavirus.

While the Head of State has decreed the closure of schools from next week, that of "non-essential" shops and new places in intensive care in hospitals, the walkers salute the "courage" of their leader, who according to them did not "yield to the injunctions" of the doctors.

A "courageous" president for LREM

“You have to find the right balance between health security, the consequences of restrictive measures and acceptability.

It is very difficult because these three components are sometimes contradictory ”, explains Anne Genetet, Member of the French nationals living abroad and spokesperson for the group in the Assembly.

“The president's decisions are courageous, because he does not give in to the pressures and injunctions of certain doctors who would like to confine, nor of traders who would like to reopen at any cost,” she continues.

A kind of middle way, while for several weeks caregivers have insisted, through the media, on the urgency of taking stronger measures to stop the third wave of Covid-19.

"He learned, and he knows that the first strict confinement had dramatic consequences," boasts Anne Genetet.

A "hybrid" solution for schools

Ahead of the presidential declaration, more and more voices were raised in favor of the closure of schools or the extension of school holidays.

The president chose to close them for at least three weeks (four for colleges and high schools), including two of zoned school holidays, and the others in distance courses.

"He was able to offer a hydride solution that does not take our children away from school for too long," said LREM deputy for Bouches-du-Rhône Claire Pitollat ​​on Twitter.

Emmanuel Macron and the marchers are counting on a massive arrival of vaccines in April to get out of this health crisis.

The goal of having vaccinated all adults by the end of the summer was confirmed on Wednesday.

In the meantime, the marchers will have to defend this presidential strategy this Thursday morning, at 9 a.m. in the Assembly, where a debate will be held on the new measures taken by Emmanuel Macron.

The debate promises to be tough, the opposition being already very critical of the presidential announcements.

A non-binding vote is scheduled for 11:30 am.

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  • Covid 19

  • Coronavirus

  • Emmanuel Macron