"It's them (the public sector, editor's note) who do everything and the others in the private sector do what they can. They do it rather well but under conditions where they only take care of what interests them. The public hospital takes care of everyone", explained the leader of rebellious France on the sidelines of a meeting with a dozen caregivers from the New Civil Hospital (NHC) in the Alsatian capital.
A movement of caregivers, observing a minute of silence in white coats, initiated last December at the NHC to denounce the situation of the public hospital on the sidelines of a visit by Jean Castex, was then reproduced in several cities in France.
Mr. Mélenchon made it clear that the requisition measure was not "motivated by ideological a priori, but by an emergency situation".
"Therefore, when the emergency situation subsides, so does the requisition," he said.
Rising against "market logic contrary to the logic of care", Mr. Mélenchon affirmed that he would appoint "a professional" to the Ministry of Health "because the crisis is at such a point that we need people who will start from a practice", however seeing in Olivier Véran, the former Minister of Health, neurologist by training, "an arrogant mandarin".
The former candidate for the presidential election, who aims to be appointed Prime Minister in the event of victory for the New Popular Ecological and Social Union (Nupes), was stopping off in Strasbourg to support the candidates of the left-wing coalition.
During a joint press conference with the ecologist mayor of the city, Jeanne Barseghian, Jean-Luc Mélenchon said he "spoke the same language" as the city councilor, welcoming "a very stimulating meeting" which made it possible to "confront on one or two points" on which the two elected officials do not see things in the same way.
© 2022 AFP