Edouard Philippe in the Senate (archives) – Jacques Witt / SIPA
To those who criticized Edouard Philippe to have over-flown the economic component too much when presenting the plan
deconfinement last tuesday
Prime Minister put the points on the i and on the euros before the Senate on Monday by presenting its deconfinement plan. “The confinement was justified by the urgency but its social cost, its human cost, its economic cost is colossal,” he announced in the preamble. Before showing a clear desire for recovery: “Economic life must resume imperatively and quickly, with adjustments, with good will. The May 11 milestone has become that of “the start of the recovery”, not “the time of recklessness”.
Economically always, the strong man of Matignon multiplied the announcements. Aid of 200 euros will be paid in June “to young people under 25 years old, precarious or modest, who touch APL, students who have lost their job or their internship and isolated overseas students who have not been able to return home. . In concrete terms, this would be 800,000 young people who would be affected.
The partial activity plan for companies “will remain in force until June 1”, then will be adapted “gradually”. The solidarity fund will also be extended “until the end of May” for companies in difficulty.
Mayotte confined longer, religious services soon authorized?
On the other components of the national strategy, Mayotte, “where the virus is still actively circulating”, will see its deconfinement “be postponed”. A point will be made again on May 14 to see if a relaxation is possible on the 18th, a week after the rest of France. Mayotte currently counts 686 cases, including 6 people in intensive care, and six deaths. Still on the French overseas territories, Edouard Philippe confirmed the ban on entering these territories and the systematic establishment of a quarantine in the event of a newcomer.
Another important point: the authorization of the religious offices could be advanced to May 29, against June 2 at least initially, if the first results of the deconfinement are encouraging. “Many cults have made proposals to reconcile the course of their meetings with the requirements of physical distance,” he reported.
No stocks of hidden masks, hammers Edouard Philippe
But what would be a speech on deconfinement without tackling the subject of masks? The Prime Minister first wanted to put an end to the controversy over possible stocks hidden by large retailers. “There have never been any hidden stocks: there have been massive orders, and it takes a while before they materialize,” said the head of government. “The state, communities, businesses and mass distribution work hand in hand so that the masks are accessible to everyone, throughout the territory from May 11,” he said.
Masks which will be compulsory for middle school students when social distancing is not possible. On schools, the Prime Minister was firm, referring to their closings as “a disaster for the most vulnerable of children and adolescents” and dropping out of school as “probably a time bomb”.
Finally, to conclude, the Head of State affirmed his optimism and his determination: “I have the most unshakeable conviction that our institutions, our talents, our youth, will be able to rise from it with additional strength and solidarity . “
