The current bitterly-opposed pension reforms proposed by the French government are purely designed to save money and have no broader social dimension. This means that President Emmanuel Macron and his supporters are now defending a reform measure which is diametrically opposed to the initial plan they had put forward back in 2017. This U-turn tells us a great deal about the flaws and limp nature of the government writes Ellen Salvi in this analysis of how and why the pension reform plan changed so radically during President Macron's time in office.
The composition of a new French government was announced on Monday evening, following the appointment on Friday of a largely unknown senior civil servant and longstanding conservative, Jean Castex, as France’s new prime minister. He replaced Édouard Philippe, who served in the post since Emmanuel Macron’s election in 2017. Mediapart political correspondent Ellen Salvi dresses here a portrait of the new prime minister, and chronicles the tensions that led to the departure of Philippe.
Former French prime minister Édouard Philippe, who stepped down on Friday to become mayor of the town of Le Havre, former health minister Agnès Buzyn and her successor Olivier Véran, are to be investigated over their handling of the Covid-19 virus epidemic after a special court for judging members of government over wrongdoing while in office accepted nine complaints lodged against them.
After serving three years in office, beginning with the election of President Emmanuel Macron, and days after his re-election as mayor in his political fiefdom of Le Havre, France's prime minister Édouard Philippe has been replaced by Jean Castex, 55, a high-ranking civil servant and conservative, largely unknown to the public, and who will lead a reshuffled government on what the Élysée Palace announced would be a 'new path'.
The first round was held on March 15th two days before France entered a nationwide coronavirus lockdown, and the second round, scheduled for March 22, was postponed. The new date is June 28th.
French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe on Thursday presented an 18-billion-euro package to help the country's tourist industry weather the coronavirus crisis, including cash investments and deferred loan payments, while also announcing that restaurants and bars in regions less affected by the epidemic could re-openshortly before the summer, conditional to no upsurge of cases, when French tourists would be able to holiday in the country.
In a televised press conference on Sunday, French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe warned that despite a target of a gradual lifting of lockdown measures beginning next month it will be a long time before normal life returns to the country, adding 'we'll have to learn how to live with the virus', while discouraging summer travel plans and estimating that 'the strongest recession since 1945' will see the nation's economy contract by about ten percent.
French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe has pledged frontline healthcare staff treating patients with the Covid-19 virus will receive tax-free bonus payments of up to 1,500 euros and higher overtime rates, part of an 8 billion-euro injection into the country's health system.
An investigation by Mediapart has revealed the chaotic management at the highest levels of the French state over the crucial issue of providing protective masks to help tackle the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. Our probe, which has analysed the situation since January and is based on numerous witness accounts and documentary evidence, highlights the hidden shortages, the unreliable health instructions, the neglected offers of help with importing masks, the continuing shortage of stocks and the way that some companies have been favoured. It also reveals the lies that have accompanied this mismanagement. Meanwhile hundreds of nurses have become infected with the virus. Yann Philippin, Antton Rouget and Marine Turchi report.
As France entered the second week of a nationwide lockdown, the toal number of confirmed coronavirus cases also increased Monday to 19,856, or a rise of about 20 percent in 24 hours.
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