“The recession is due to austerity policies”: the president of the French Republic Francois Hollande does not choose half measures, during the second press conference of his mandate, convened at the Elysée just over a year after his appointment, with popularity at its lowest and an economy that is increasingly struggling.
“Now the second year begins, which I would define as an offensive one”. So, after the rigor that led to the recession, here is the time for much-needed growth. The French president then proposed three other points with which to relaunch Europe. In particular, "immediately mobilize the EU budget for the inclusion of young people, define a common investment strategy for the world of industry, including a European community for energy, which focuses above all on renewables, and finally a new stage of integration, with budgetary capacity.
“If Europe does not advance, it will fall, indeed, it will be erased from the map of the world and from the imagination of the peoples”, warned Hollande during the press conference which also touched upon the issues of unemployment and pensions. Just yesterday, the data released by Eurostat confirmed that Paris, with the second consecutive quarter of decline in GDP (-0,2%), has returned to recession. Today Insee, the national statistical institute, certified a new decline in employment: 20.300 jobs (-0,1%) were lost in the first quarter, 133.800 jobs (-0,8%) in one year in market sectors excluding agriculture.
“I repeat here in front of you – said a confident Hollande – assuming risks, but also responsibilities, that the unemployment curve may reverse by the end of the year”. On the social security front, however, bad news for the French: in no uncertain terms, the tenant of the Elysée said that "when life expectancy increases, it is right and normal to work a little more".
