In France, the president has a long tradition of giving media interviews on National Day on July 14. However, for the first time since taking office in 2017, incumbent President Macron will continue this tradition on Tuesday (July 14). At the Presidential Palace, he will be interviewed by France TV 1 and 2, focusing on thorny topics related to the new crown epidemic. Now that France is in the midst of its worst economic crisis since 1929, Macron will take the opportunity to clarify priorities for the next 600 days.
French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a televised address at the Elysées Palace in Paris on March 16. (Source: Xinhua News Agency)
According to the comprehensive "Le d'état de la Estée" and "Les Echoes", the French National Day President's interview with the media was originally initiated by the then President Giscard D'Estaine in 1978, and the tradition was continued in the era of François Mitterrand and Jacques Chirac. Thereafter, Nicolas Sarkozy refused to retain it, but François Hollande was restored immediately after his election. Since Macron took office in 2017, he has dismissed the tradition of 42 years of French political life by arguing that the tradition of the National Day president's interviews is at odds with the changes he wants to embody.
At present, France is caught in the superposition of three major crises of the epidemic, economy and society, and President Macron has finally decided to continue this tradition. According to the Elysee Palace's explanation, the decision to return to tradition is that President Macron believes that "it is now necessary to re-elaborate the importance of the 'new path' and the reconstruction of the five pillars of economy, society, environment, locality and culture." ”
Tuesday's live television interview, which will begin at 13:10 p.m. and lasts 45 minutes, will be jointly asked live by France Television 2 reporter Léa Salamé and Television 1's Gilles Bouleau at the Elysee Palace at the Presidential Palace.
It is reported that this interview will cover some hot topics and even thorny issues. For example, the current second wave of COVID-19 in France is like a "mountain rain", and doctors in France's emergency medical centers have issued warnings that the number of patients has increased significantly since last Sunday. Is France ready for a new wave of outbreaks? Is it necessary to adopt another "lockdown" similar to that of Spain or Germany in local areas? Should it be immediately mandatory to wear masks in all enclosed public places?
In addition, issues related to the economic field will also attract much attention in this interview. What stimulus packages are in place to repair the significant economic damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic? What measures can be taken to ensure that young people can find work after the summer holidays? How can French industrial enterprises be encouraged to move back to their homeland? Is it necessary to restart retirement reform? Can healthcare system safeguard agreements truly meet the needs of healthcare workers?
How to reinvent France?
After an interview with a local newspaper on July 3, Macron will use the National Day television interview to once again detail the "blueprint" for France's development in the last two years of his five-year term (about 600 days), after all, there is not much time left in office.
Tuesday's interview was also Macron's first public address after the appointment of the new prime minister and the formation of the new government, so it is likely that he will be asked about the reasons for "parting ways" with Eduard Philippe and the unexpected appointment of Jean Castaire as the new prime minister.
In addition, environmental issues and economic recovery plans will also be indispensable in this interview.
(Editor: Shi Fei)
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