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This August 24, at the first meeting of the French Cabinet after the summer holidays, President Emmanuel Macron warned that difficult months were ahead in which he asked the population to make “sacrifices”. The president assured that the country is at a “turning point” in the face of a difficult winter as a result of the war in Ukraine and the effects of climate change, for which he foresees a shortage of resources and increases in energy costs. electrical.
France warns of a serious panorama of global effects.
This August 24, in the first Council of Ministers after the summer recess period, President Emmanuel Macron assured that the world is facing the end of an abundance of goods and resources and “of a certain carelessness”.
“I think we are witnessing a great upheaval, a radical change. Basically, what we are experiencing is the end of abundance, of free liquidity,” Macron said in a somber statement that contrasted with his usual optimistic tone.
The reasons? The president pointed to a series of crises. Among them, the effects of climate change stand out, which are generating notorious droughts in several countries, after extreme temperatures and fires.
For Macron, the scarcity of some raw materials and water is on the table and urgent measures will have to be taken in this regard.
An alert echoed by the Executive’s spokesman, Olivier Véran, who assured that the summer of 2022 has been that of “after climate change, of total awareness, even among the most skeptical”.
?? Emmanuel #Macron warned of sacrifices ahead and foreshadowed the “end of abundance” at his first cabinet meeting following the summer break.
“What we are living through is a time of great upheaval.” ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/skgo6qiaIg
— FRANCE 24 English (@France24_en) August 24, 2022
In addition, the French president pointed to the interruption of international trade that caused damage during the pandemic period and the war in Ukraine. A conflict that continues to drive up the price of gas and electricity in the midst of sanctions against Russia, a country that has catapulted itself as the main exporter of hydrocarbons for several nations of the Old Continent.
The French leader considered that “freedom has a cost” and the ongoing conflict on European soil has brought “the end of carelessness” throughout the continent.
France could remove caps on energy prices
Faced with the difficult outlook, France could “forever” stop maintaining caps on energy prices to help households cope with rising inflation, Veran said.
“There may be price increases,” the official stressed.
In the coming weeks, the French government will have to decide whether to renew the limits on electricity and gas costs that expire at the end of this year.
Likewise, the Macron Administration must define whether or not it maintains a discount on fuel. Measures that together have helped keep inflation lower in France, compared to many European peers, but weigh heavily on public finances.
Macron warned that the population is facing “sacrifices”, facing a difficult winter and a new era of instability, when experts predict that the conflict in Ukraine could take years.
“Ultimately, it is a tipping point that we are going through that can lead to our citizens feeling a lot of anxiety. Given this we have some homework; the first of them is to speak frankly and clearly”, stressed the president.
The French territory is less dependent than some neighbors on gas imports from Moscow, which account for about 17% of its gas consumption. However, concerns remain.
The Macron administration plans to present legislation next September to accelerate energy infrastructure projects and draw up a short-term plan to ensure energy supply for the coming months.
An “energy restriction plan” would ask all citizens to commit to a “waste hunt”, such as turning off the lights when leaving the offices, the Elysee announced last July.
New protests are coming
The president’s words fell like a bucket of cold water for the unions. For dozens of groups of workers, the government’s new calls for sacrifices make no sense, as they say employees require higher wages to cope with rising inflation.
Immediately after Macron’s comments, Philippe Martínez, leader of the CGT union, confirmed on local television that there will be protests in September and that they will demand measures to increase employee payments and limit increases in the prices of products.
“We will rise up against these new sacrifices,” he said.
His union has called for a day of national strikes on September 29.
Reforms of pension plans and unemployment benefits are also in the works and could trigger more demonstrations in the French streets.
With Reuters, EFE and local media
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