No respite for the new president. After his election this Sunday with 57.2% of the vote, according to the first Ifop-Fiducial estimates, he will have to tackle several major economic, diplomatic and political issues. 20 minutes has chosen to detail some of them for you.
Reform the pension system
During the previous five-year term, the 2019 reform project had not been able to see the light of day. Hence Emmanuel Macron’s desire to put the work back on the job. And quickly: “From a demographic point of view, there is an urgent need to reform the system, because the number of contributors will be greatly reduced in the coming years. Not to touch the system would be to take the risk of having to lower the pensions one day. Moreover, since this reform is not popular, the only way to pass it is to surf on the legitimacy conferred by the election at the start of the five-year term”, comments Victor Poirier, director of publications at the Institut Montaigne.
During his campaign, Emmanuel Macron has already announced his intention to extend the retirement age and gradually raise it to 64 by 2027, before possibly raising it to 65. This is not surprising to political scientist Stéphane Rozès, president of Conseils, analyzes et perspectives (CAP): “It is the easiest lever to operate, which has the fastest impact on the system and the most easily readable for the general public. Even if it poses the problem of maintaining seniors in employment, while France is below the European average in this area”.
Acting in favor of the climate transition
The latest IPCC report indicated that we have three years to go to limit global warming. At the same time, the objectives of the Paris agreement for France provide for a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to their 1990 level. a goal of carbon neutrality in 2050. This calls for rapid measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in all sectors”, underlines Stéphane Rozès. “Hence the underlying idea of Emmanuel Macron to create a Prime Minister in charge of ecological planning, so that this becomes a cross-cutting subject for all ministries”, indicates Victor Poirier.
He also expressed his desire to build six new-generation nuclear power plants, to set up 50 offshore wind farms by 2050, to renovate 700,000 homes a year, to produce millions of electric and hybrid vehicles… But according to Stéphane Rozès , it will also be necessary to carry out an enormous work of pedagogy: “The efforts required of individuals will require them to change certain behaviors, and this will have an economic cost for them. Moreover, they will not necessarily be compatible with the high level of current social inequalities”.
Boost purchasing power
Inflation at 4.5% in March, soaring energy prices, increase in certain food products since the war in Ukraine… Purchasing power was the issue that most interested voters during the electoral campaign, and the tenant of the Elysée is eagerly awaited on the subject. Emmanuel Macron has already announced some of his intentions: creating a food check for the most modest, granting a rebate at the pump of 15 to 18 cents, tripling the ceiling of the “Macron bonus”, eliminating the TV license fee… “It will undoubtedly have to act on the constrained expenditure of the French by maintaining the prices blocked on energy and developing public aid for the most fragile populations”, indicates Stéphane Rozès. “He will have to increase certain social minima and the index point for civil servants. While developing incentive schemes and participation in companies…”, enumerates Victor Poirier.
Playing a role in de-escalating the war in Ukraine
France has played a leading role in European diplomacy on the crisis in Ukraine. She comes in support of kyiv, but does not want to go to war with Russia, with which she continues to speak. “Emmanuel Macron will have to continue to have the ear of Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky to ensure international legitimacy. It will also have to federate the European community to support the Ukrainian population,” says Victor Poirier. An opinion shared by Stéphane Rozès: “France is the only Member State of the European Union with a nuclear deterrent force. And she is a member of the UN Security Council. Which gives it a specific weight in diplomatic relations,” adds Stéphane Rozès.
Strengthen the public hospital
Two years of Covid-19 have highlighted the fragilities of the public health system. Emmanuel Macron has already promised to recruit 50,000 additional nurses and caregivers by 2027. “Ségur has been largely insufficient. Because beds have continued to close ever since. We must further strengthen the means so that a two-speed health system does not become even more established. We must also review the governance system of hospitals to put caregivers at the heart of the system and not the accountants, ”says Stéphane Rozès. “Emmanuel Macron will also have to quickly tackle medical deserts and the question of the quality of care”, adds Victor Poirier.
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