On Tuesday evening, November 9, 2021, the President of the Republic will speak again to the French people to give an update on the Covid-19 crisis and announce new measures.
Four months after his last address, Emmanuel Macron speaks again. The head of state is speaking on television for the ninth time since the start of the Covid-19 crisis. The President will in particular call for booster vaccinations in view of the resurgence of the epidemic and name the priorities for the end of his five-year term.
We are reporting live on the President’s address and therefore it is appropriate to reload this page several times, as the text will be revised and supplemented until about 8:40 PM …
The recorded speech of the President of the Republic lasts 27 minutes and 30 seconds.
Emmanuel Macron: “It was important for me to speak to you again this autumn 2021 to answer your questions about our health, social, economic and geopolitical situation.”
“Our decisions have been based (…) always on the belief that individual and collective responsibility are our greatest strength,” said the President of the Republic, recalling the two lockdowns and the long curfews.
“51 million of us are now fully vaccinated, which makes us one of the best protected countries in the world.”
“We are not finished with the pandemic yet. Tens of thousands of our fellow citizens are affected by so-called long Covid (…). And because we must live with the virus and its variants until the world population is vaccinated. We stand at a threshold of international solidarity by distributing vaccine doses to the poorest countries”.
“Thanks to your efforts, the situation in France is better than in other European countries such as Germany and Great Britain”.
“We can continue to keep the situation under control if each of us does our part,” says Emmanuel Macron, before making an appeal to the unvaccinated people, of whom there are still six million in France. “Get vaccinated so you can live normally,” the President urges.
Emmanuel Macron announced that those over 65 will only keep their health pass if they receive a third dose from December 15.
“From the beginning of December, a booster vaccination campaign for our fellow citizens between 50 and 64 years old will be launched,” announced Emmanuel Macron. The health authorities will decide on the practical details in the coming days.
“All short-term considered relaxations will be postponed to a later date, the regulations remain in force. (…) Even though I know how difficult it is, wearing masks in school will be maintained. More attention will be paid to barrier measures. We have all relaxed our efforts, that is perfectly normal, but we must take them more seriously again.”
Below are the most important pieces of information from the President’s speech on the health situation:
- In view of the “fifth wave” that has broken out in Europe, Emmanuel Macron urges the French who have not yet been vaccinated to catch up.
- Those affected by the booster dose of the vaccine, “over 65s and the most vulnerable,” must provide proof of a booster in order to “extend” the validity of their health pass.
- Next month a booster campaign will be launched for French people between 50 and 64 years old.
- Checks on the application of the health pass will be intensified.
The economic part of the President’s speech now begins with a reference to the amounts provided to support the sectors in difficulty.
“The salaries of our care workers were increased by an average of 200 to 400 euros per month, 500 hospitals are being refurbished, thousands of nursing homes are being renovated with an unprecedented effort of 19 billion euros. Never since the creation of social insurance have we invested so much in health after decades of neglect (…)”
“We must not aim for 7% unemployment, but full employment.”
Emmanuel Macron is surprised that 3 million people are unemployed, yet sectors such as hospitality have difficulty hiring new staff. He recalls his measures to reduce the tax burden on labor, to strengthen training measures for the unemployed, and his efforts for young people, whose “unemployment rate is as low as it has not been for over 15 years”.
Emmanuel Macron announces a reform of unemployment insurance that foresees a change in the rules for compensating the unemployed. “From December 1 a new stage will begin. One must have worked at least six months in the last two years to receive compensation, as opposed to the current four months.”
“Jobseekers who cannot prove an active job search will have their benefits suspended.”
Emmanuel Macron announces “clear decisions” in the area of pensions for next year (he did not say whether before or after the presidential elections, but given the timetable it will probably be afterwards). “Work longer by raising the statutory age, move to a fairer system by abolishing special schemes (…), move to more freedom by allowing people to retire gradually.”
“How many job offers remain constantly available in France due to a lack of applicants? Hundreds of thousands,” Emmanuel Macron has just noted.
“Since 2017 we have recruited 10,000 police officers and gendarmes and significantly increased the budget for justice. The results are visible: we have foiled 36 attacks, the number of burglaries and vehicle thefts has fallen by a quarter, and there were record seizures and arrests in drug trafficking.”
“We are already preparing for the challenges of the future. (…) We have to make many decisions at the same time. (…) The market will not be enough, we must assume strong public intervention (…), to invest in ten key sectors that are very promising for the future, such as decarbonization, space or shipping.”
“France has the means to consolidate its status as a major power in education, industry and agriculture. We want to be innovative, to create and produce, while at the same time achieving our climate goals.”
Emmanuel Macron reminds that France will hold the Presidency of the European Union in two months, from January to June 2022. “Without the EU we would not have benefited so quickly from the vaccine. Our partners are not strangers, but face the same waves and storms as we do.”
“Together we have dealt with an unprecedented combination of crises: the pandemic and its consequences, terrorism, geopolitical unrest and so on. (…) I hear the fatigue, the doubts, sometimes the anger, when I meet you. (…) Look at what we have achieved in recent months by acting together and united. I tell you with great conviction: Let us not be afraid. Let us believe in ourselves!”
“We should believe in ourselves. We deserve it.”
Emmanuel Macron also announces that he wants to revive the construction of nuclear reactors.
This was important in Emmanuel Macron’s speech on the economy:
- We must not be satisfied with 7% unemployment, but work towards full employment, said the president, who praised his record on unemployment.
- He judged that the conditions for a pension reform are “not met” today, and promised “clear decisions” on this topic next year (likely after the presidential elections, if he is re-elected).
- The head of state also said he wants to “get the construction of nuclear reactors going again”.