Xavier Bertrand is “shocked” to be excluded from Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Valeo

Shocked and disappointed. Xavier Bertrand learned to his dismay last night that he was not invited by the Elysée Palace to visit the President of the Republic on Tuesday at the Valeo d’Etaples factory in Pas-de-Calais. On the occasion of this trip, Emmanuel Macron will unveil the much awaited
recovery plan decided by the government for the automotive sector, very strongly impacted by the coronavirus crisis.

“Obviously, the President of the Republic is playing politics when we should all work together,” said the President of the Hauts-de-France regional council on Tuesday in reaction to this non-invitation. “We should stick together in a crisis never seen before!” Staging is not what you need. What we need is to work state-regions-communities hand in hand, “he continued.

“A lighter protocol”

The prefect of Pas-de-Calais Fabien Sudry for his part indicated that the displacement of the head of state at the Valeo factory was part of the “current format of presidential visit in the context of the health crisis” linked to coronavirus, “without the usual republican protocol but a lighter protocol”.

Concretely, only the mayors of the cities (Le Touquet, Etaples) where Emmanuel Macron will go, as well as the deputy of the riding Daniel Fasquelle (LR) are invited to the visit. For his part, the President will be accompanied in this trip by two ministers.

No excuse for Xavier Bertrand

But Xavier Bertrand is surprised that the health argument is put forward for this presidential visit when he was invited on May 17 to Montcornet (Aisne) to the tribute to General de Gaulle. “It was a different scheme, surrounded by nature,” said a government source.

“I am shocked that, on such an important plan for the national economy and for the region, the country’s largest automotive region, I am not associated,” deplored the president of the regional council. “We are on the eve of decisive announcements for the automobile in the region and it is true that I would have asked him, during his visit, that the State, Renault’s largest shareholder, guarantee the future from the automaker in the region, ”he adds.

–