After a busy week for the Head of State, marked by the visit of King Charles III then Pope Francis to Marseille, still against the backdrop of the Rugby World Cup in France, Emmanuel Macron spoke on Sunday evening on the television news of 8 p.m. from TF1 and France 2.

During this interview with Anne-Claire Coudray and Laurent Delahousse, live from the Élysée, Emmanuel Macron began by congratulating the French: “few countries can meet the concomitant challenges of this measure”, rejoiced the head of the State, which wanted to thank “the volunteers, elected officials, police officers and gendarmes” who mobilized to organize these events. He saw it as an encouraging sign, in anticipation of the Olympic Games which will be held in France next summer.

After Pope Francis’ call on Saturday in Marseille for more solidarity with migrants, Emmanuel Macron agreed with the sovereign pontiff. “Every time we talk about this subject of immigration, we talk about women and men,” he declared, nevertheless arguing that Europe is “the continent that does the most.” “We French, we are doing our part. There are on average 100,000 asylum seekers in our country each year,” he assured. And to use the words of Michel Rocard: “We cannot accommodate all the misery in the world.”

Regarding the ongoing migration crisis in Italy, with the influx of migrants to Lampedusa, Emmanuel Macron believes that “the Minister of the Interior was right” to differentiate migrants from asylum seekers in Lampedusa. The head of state wants to work with Giorgia Meloni, who, according to him, was able to avoid “a simplistic and nationalist response” advocated by those around the president of the Italian council. “We cannot leave Italy alone,” however, added Emmanuel Macron, congratulating Italy’s “responsibility”.

“We must, as Europeans, better condition our aid on a responsible migration policy,” insisted Emmanuel Macron, distinguishing between countries of departure and countries of transit. The President of the Republic wants to offer transit states, on the southern shore of the Mediterranean, such as Tunisia or Libya, “partnerships to avoid departures”, like what London and Paris are doing around the Channel.

As the immigration bill approaches, which will be studied in Parliament in the fall, Emmanuel Macron wants to “go much faster” on asylum application procedures. “The heart of this text is above all to accelerate (…) and send back more effectively the women and men who are not intended to stay,” he detailed.

Finally, on the regularization of undocumented workers in professions in tension, a subject on which the government faces a veto from the right, the Head of State hoped that a “compromise” would be found on the subject. “With professions in tension, we must first try to ensure that it is our compatriots who go there,” he tempered. And added: “There will be no unconditional right to regularization”

While the price of gasoline is around two euros, the President of the Republic was questioned at length about inflation and the purchasing power of the French. “Purchasing power is the meeting of a salary and the prices of living,” said Emmanuel Macron first, recalling his efforts in terms of job creation. “The minimum wage has increased by 11%” since the start of the crisis, Emmanuel Macron also welcomed, recalling his objective of a full employment policy.

The head of state spoke of the upcoming social conference, saying he wanted to “work with all branches which have a minimum wage below the legal SMIC”. “I am not in favor of indexing all salaries to prices because at that point, we completely create an inflationary loop,” added Emmanuel Macron.

Also read: Guillaume Tabard: “Inflation, housing crisis… Optimism against “sad passions””

The President of the Republic mentioned the arrival, Wednesday in the Council of Ministers, of a text allowing trade negotiations to be reopened, in order to “bring together the 60 largest agri-food manufacturers” and “put in place an agreement on margin negotiations” in all sectors. The head of state refuses any “price blocking”, as several opposition parties are demanding, but wants “an agreement on the moderation of margins”

Emmanuel Macron, who says he has no “miracle solution” to counter rising fuel prices, continued: “we pay for our dependence. Since the start of 2023, the price of a barrel has increased by around a third and it will continue. “The reason for the increase is not taxes but geopolitics,” he defended, passing the buck to oil-producing countries like Saudi Arabia. The Prime Minister will bring together all energy stakeholders “this week” to ask for a sale of fuel “at cost price”, said Emmanuel Macron, who wants new aid for the poorest French people who need their car , up to “€100 per vehicle per year”.

Emmanuel Macron once again welcomed the tax cuts undertaken over the last six years, recalling the abolition of the housing tax. The head of state, on the other hand, castigated “the responsibility of elected officials”, referring to the 60% increase in property tax in Paris, while municipalities “like Tourcoing” have not increased it.

On the eve of the presentation of the ecological planning plan on Monday at the Élysée, Emmanuel Macron declared that regarding the ecological transition, “we are halfway there”. The head of state wants “a French-style ecology, which is neither denial nor cure” but “an ecology of progress”. “We will invest 40 billion euros in this ecological transition next year,” reaffirmed Emmanuel Macron, who announced two priorities in terms of environmental policy.

“France will be among the first in Europe to move away from coal,” he assured, while the country must reduce its carbon emissions by 50% by 2030. By 2027, the last two coal-fired power plants in France will notably be “converted to biomass”, he said. The executive will not ban gas boilers, but will instead focus on the development of “heat pumps”.

Emmanuel Macron also pleaded for electrification. “We have to do it by being intelligent, by producing vehicles and batteries at home. We are attached to the car, and I love it. Today, we produce between 1 and 1.5 million vehicles on our soil. In recent years, we have relocated thanks to ecology. Tens of thousands of industrial jobs will be created in the coming years.” The tenant of the Élysée also mentioned aid for the acquisition of an electric vehicle “by the end of the year”.

Also read: What is “ecological planning” that Emmanuel Macron must present on Monday?

“We are in Niger because at the request of the countries and the region, we have been fighting against terrorism” first said the Head of State before discussing the situation in Niger; before saluting the commitment of French soldiers in Operation Barkhane. “There is no longer a Françafrique, we do not intervene when there is a coup d’état in Africa” added Emmanuel Macron, who announced the decision to recall the French ambassador to Niger. The regime resulting from the coup d’état had requested his departure, which Emmanuel Macron had initially refused.

The President of the Republic also announced the withdrawal of French soldiers present in Niger, which means “the end of the French military presence in Niger”. The withdrawal of French soldiers “will be organized in the coming weeks,” he said. “We are not here […] to be hostages of the putschists,” he declared.

The head of state reiterated his “unconditional” support for Armenians in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, where the rights of “Christians and minorities have been violated.” While continuing its “humanitarian” and “political” aid, France will notably watch over the “territorial integrity” of Armenia, while Russia becomes “accomplice” of Azerbaijan.