Those and those who expected shattering announcements will be disappointed. Emmanuel Macron spoke this Tuesday evening at 8 p.m., for 27 minutes, while the coronavirus epidemic is rebounding in Europe. The President of the Republic conceded that “the fifth wave has started” and recalled the importance of vaccination and respect for barrier gestures.
If he did not make thunderous announcements and spent a lot of time reviewing the government’s recent actions in economic and health matters, Emmanuel Macron still announced some concrete decisions. Here are the four points to remember from this speech by the President of the Republic.
A third dose for those over 65
French people over the age of 65 will have to receive a booster dose of anti-Covid vaccine to benefit from the health pass from December 15. “A campaign (recall) has been launched since the end of the summer for all over 65 and the most vulnerable, we must now accelerate it”, recalled the Head of State.
Since September, the oldest and most vulnerable have in fact been eligible for a booster dose of anti-Covid vaccine, most often a “third dose”, provided that their vaccination dates back more than six months. Emmanuel Macron also announced that everyone over 50 could benefit from this booster dose from next month.
For the moment, therefore, there will be no open vaccination for children under 12. And if he reminded everyone to “the spirit of responsibility” in the respect of barrier gestures and the importance of vaccination, Emmanuel Macron also announced a strengthening of the controls of the health pass in the places concerned, in particular the stations and airports.
No pension reform before 2022
The conditions “are not met to relaunch” the site of the pension reform, judged Tuesday Emmanuel Macron during his address to the French, while believing that it would be necessary to “take clear decisions” from 2022.
These decisions, which “will legitimately be the subject of debate”, will involve in particular “working longer, by pushing back the legal age”, abolishing special regimes, harmonizing the rules between public and private and ensuring that there is no pension below 1,000 euros for a full career.
Emmanuel Macron also pleaded for a “free, simple and readable” approach to retirement. He thus evoked the possibility of “retiring gradually, of accumulating rights more quickly for those who wish it” and “of encouraging work beyond the legal age also for those who do so. want “.
Tightening of conditions of access to unemployment benefits
Emmanuel Macron, almost already a candidate for re-election in 2022, also declared that he continued to “aim for full employment” and did not want to “settle for 7% unemployment”. In this context, the President of the Republic announced a tightening of the conditions of access to unemployment benefits.
From December 1, it will be necessary to have worked six months instead of four to be able to be compensated in the event of loss of his job. In addition, the President of the Republic recalled that the allowances will be suspended for the unemployed who cannot demonstrate that they are in “active search” for employment.
New nuclear reactors on French soil
France will build new nuclear reactors on its soil. “We will, for the first time in decades, relaunch the construction of nuclear reactors in our country and continue to develop renewable energies,” said Emmanuel Macron, who aims for “energy independence” and respect for France’s commitments. to decarbonize its economy.