Emmanuel Macron "condemns France to a century of nuclear power" accuses Yannick Jadot

Europe 1 with 6:10 p.m. AFP, 10 February 2022

Emmanuel Macron "is condemning France to a century of nuclear power", lambasted environmental presidential candidate Yannick Jadot on Thursday in Montpellier, while the head of state announced a relaunch of the French nuclear program.

“Nuclear is a fiasco”

The President of the Republic, who is not yet an official candidate, announced Thursday afternoon in Belfort the construction of a series of new second-generation EPR nuclear reactors.

This decision, "without democratic debate", would condemn France to "a century of nuclear power" because "the EPRs it promises us are at best 2040-2045", denounced Yannick Jadot, traveling to Montpellier alongside of the former peasant trade union leader and former MEP José Bové: "These are EPRs that will last until the end of the century".

"We have a President of the Republic who overinvests in nuclear power, which is a fiasco", accused the environmental candidate, pointing to the additional cost of the Flamanville EPR: "When you have 17 billion additional costs, the lesson, this is not to stop, it is to do six or ten", quipped the environmentalist candidate, believing that "it is truly irresponsible".

"Macron is aligned with Zemmour"

"Who supports nuclear power in this election campaign? The entire far right. Who supports the development of nuclear power in the world? The dictators of China and Russia," continued Mr. Jadot: "Emmanuel Macron is perfectly aligned with Zemmour, with Le Pen, with Putin, with Xi Jinping... Each to his camp, we prefer the camp of the democracies", he concluded.

The EELV candidate also demolished the argument that nuclear would be synonymous with "energy independence": "It did not seem to me that we still had uranium mines in our country, uranium, we will extract it in Niger, in Kazakhstan, in Uzbekistan,” he said.

Incidentally, the environmentalist recalled that if he is elected he will put "the package on renewable energies" and, "gradually, (...) will come out of nuclear power and its risks".

Yannick Jadot spoke in the Montpellier center in front of around 500 people, according to a figure sent by his campaign team.

In front of a mostly young audience, he praised an "enthusiastic vision of the fight against global warming" and promised in particular the legalization of cannabis, the recruitment of 100,000 nurses, an income of "920 euros for all from 18 years old" or again the reception "with dignity" of refugees.