Fight against global warming: Emmanuel Macron and Elizabeth Bourne oppose calls for more restrictive measures

Georges Pompidou continues to dominate French politics. In particular, one of his short sentences, delivered at a matinee one evening in 1966, before one of his secretaries of state, Jacques Chirac. “But stop pissing off the French! There are too many laws, too many texts, too many regulations in this country! We are dying! »At another time, the Prime Minister, an icon of the “Great Twenties” and a lover of poetry, would say.

“Stop bothering the French”… a spoiled and flexible expression, adaptable to all subjects. In the offices of several ministers, it reappeared for several months, always “off”, especially when it comes to ecology and climate, a sensitive area where many actors demand stronger restrictions.

Since 1966, the expression has flourished. He was greeted with applause and for years he observed the meetings of the rightists. After becoming President of the Republic, Jacques Chirac immediately reported this to the journalist Thierry Desjardins, who immortalized him in a book. The promise of liberating energies in a country that will crumble under directives and laws, even the most moderate of them is using it. “President Pompidou said, ‘Don’t bother the French.’ We must give this political will to the French.wrote Alain Juppe on Twitter at 1^Eh April 2015.

Emmanuel Macron already activated it during an interview on January 4, 2022 Parisian Mainly dedicated to vaccination against Covid-19. “I, I am not in favor of angering the French. I oppose the administration all day when they block. Look, the unvaccinated, I really want to make them angry.said the head of state.

“We are not going to force everyone”

A few weeks ago, alongside the announcement of a vigilance plan, the idea of ​​a 110 km/h speed limit on motorways was withdrawn after being one of the 149 proposals of the Citizens’ Convention. Climate in 2019.

An idea that was scrapped by the government. “When you go from 130 km/h to 110 km/h, fuel consumption drops by 20%. Prime Minister Elizabeth Bourne announced on November 14 on the air of BFM-TV. From there to imposing it on the French, I don’t think that’s the right way to go. (…) We cannot work with bans. If we’re not careful to get everyone on board, at some point we’re not going to move forward. »

Although inflation continues to erode purchasing power every month, the government does not want to antagonize the French in their daily lives, especially in travel. The strategy can be seen in the words of Emmanuel Macron. “There should be a choice, we are not going to force everyone”He said about the railway on Sunday, November 27, in the second video dedicated to ecology, which was published on the social network.