Guadeloupe: Prime Minister Jean Castex between firmness and dialogue
French Prime Minister Jean Castex, during a press conference in Brussels, November 22, 2021. © AFP - JOHN THYS
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
For several days, Guadeloupe has been in the throes of violence.
An "
explosive crisis
" which worries the executive.
Jean Castex spoke during a videoconference with the elected officials of the West Indian island this Monday evening, November 22.
Calling for calm, he announced a "
forum for dialogue
".
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It is first of all a message of firmness that Jean Castex wanted to send to those responsible for the violence in Guadeloupe.
"
The situation that Guadeloupe has been experiencing for a few days is particularly serious,
" the Prime Minister insisted.
I strongly condemn this violence.
The perpetrators are and will continue to be arrested and tried.
"
No question for the government to give the impression of weakening, analyzes
Valérie Gas
, journalist in the political service of RFI.
To hear Jean Castex, the health crisis is a “
pretext
” and under the guise of protesting against the obligation to vaccinate caregivers, “
it is now above all a question of attacking and looting
”.
The priority objective of the executive is therefore the reestablishment of public order and the return to calm, without compromising on the vaccination obligation of caregivers, Jean Castex has reaffirmed it.
The right-wing opposition is surprised
Firmness, then, but not only.
The Prime Minister announced the creation of a "
forum for dialogue
" to individually support caregivers with fears about the vaccine.
In addition, a mission from the Ministry of the Interior will be sent to work with the firefighters.
Above all, Jean Castex asked Overseas Minister Sébastien Lecornu to continue the dialogue with elected officials.
A minister whose right-wing opposition is surprised that he does not go there.
In the midst of the presidential campaign,
the government has no room for error
in the management of the crisis in Guadeloupe.
Earlier today, Emmanuel Macron assured Guadeloupe of the
nation's
“
solidarity
” and asked “
not to give in to lies and manipulation by some of this situation
”.
"
We cannot use the health of French women and men to wage political battles
" and "
public order must be maintained
", underlined the Head of State.
►
Also to listen: In the crisis in Guadeloupe, "The State has lost a battle it has not fought"
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Crisis in Guadeloupe: "The State has lost a battle it has not fought"