A new poll showed 8 out of 10 French people were worried about the economic situation in France – a result sure to set alarm bells ringing in Paris. A defensive President Macron was forced to admit on Thursday the next phase of his presidency will be carried out by a new government team whilst his prime minister resigned this morning.
Mr Macron told regional newspapers yesterday he was planning a major overhaul of the pension system.
Mr Macron told La Montagne newspaper: “The new phase entails new goals of independence, reconstruction, reconciliation and new methods. Behind that there will be a new team.”
There has been mounting speculation of a government reshuffle after last Sunday’s local elections saw the Greens trounce Macron’s laRem party following protests over several reforms.
LaRem party failed to win in any big city, leaving Mr Macron, 42, without a local power-base as he eyes a possible bid for a second term as president in 2022.
The Greens turned out to be the big winners of the vote, gaining control of big cities including Lyon, Bordeaux and Strasbourg.
A poll by BVA group revealed a 35 percent of French people believe “the worst is ahead of us” in the coronavirus crisis.
The poll also revealed 74 percent of respondents feared that there could be a second wave of the epidemic, 20 points higher than two weeks ago.
Alongside this, 51 percent don’t believe that France will return to normal life from 2020.
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He added of his Prime Minister Edouard Philippe: “He is carrying out important reforms and we have a relationship of trust which is from a certain point of view unique on the scale of the Fifth Republic.
“I will have to make choices to lead the new path.”
But when asked if he felt responsible following France’s anger over several governmental reforms, he was quick to defend himself, adding: “I have my share of clumsiness. I sometimes considered that certain reforms had to be moved quickly.
“It can only work through dialogue. I have a lot of ambition for our country and I have sometimes given the feeling of wanting to make reforms against people.”
The poll interviewed 1,000 French people aged 18 and over between June 23 and 25th.