“So far so good… But the important thing is not the fall. It’s the landing.” We remember the film “La Haine”. Even before the decision of the rating agencies Fitch and Moody’s on Friday which ultimately did not downgrade the rating of French debt, investors were not overly worried: “not even afraid”, writes our specialist Guillaume Benoit. France remains perceived as a “good risk”.
If everything is going well so far, it is because investors are placing the landing later: in the event of the election of Marine Le Pen to the presidential. Within the RN itself, some are beginning to become aware of a credibility deficit, explains Jacques Paugam. From there to filling it… This does not seem to move Jordan Bardella much, far in the lead in voting intentions in the European despite a more than incomplete program. What to do ? Denounce “the complacency from which the populists benefit and by opening a barrage against the imposture of their solutions”, recommends our columnist Eric Le Boucher. The European policy of the leader of the RN is amateurism, he who shines in Brussels for his lack of work and his absenteeism, adds our editorialist Lucie Robequain. In short, a deception…
“Europe can die”
With structuring texts on digital regulation, migration policy, decarbonization of the economy or Ukraine, the results of the European Parliament, for those who are willing to look at it without blinders, are imposing, insists our correspondent in Brussels Karl De Meyer who lists the main reforms.
But there is still so much to do! This is the vibrant message that wanted to convey Emmanuel Macron in a long speech at the Sorbonne, with this refrain intended to awaken consciences: “Europe can die”, notes Vincent Collen. Our columnist Cécile Cornudet explains why the Head of State chose to take the front line in this campaign. Why, also, he “increases in audacity” and “forces the line to force destiny”.
This Europe which can die is particularly under the Chinese threat. HAS BeijingLionel Steinmann plunged into the heart of the empire of automobile and tells how the country’s industry already dominates the world. Local manufacturers even have such an appetite that overproduction lurks, adds our special correspondent. This makes them all the more dangerous: they have to sell their production across borders. Even Stellantis has invested in one of these Chinese start-ups, Leapmotor, which wants to sell inexpensive electric cars.
Innovation Champions
In Europe, on the other hand, more and more voices are being raised to question the very ambitious objective of eliminating thermal cars from 2035, reports our correspondent in Brussels Fabienne Schmitt. Which does not prevent us from innovating on all fronts. Thus, as Chantal Houzelle notes, among the three largest French patent applicants, we find Stellantis, Safran and Valeo: the automobile industry is well represented.
Aeronautics is another strong point and continues to drive French exports, notes Bruno Trévidic. If there are archaisms in the sector, it is more on the side of Air traffic controllers who caused great mayhem at airports to safeguard their privileges, such as granting themselves paid absences! In a fascinating podcast led by Pierrick Fay, we tell you what air traffic controllers want. We understand it well: they benefit from the approach of Olympic Games to push their advantages to a weakened government, points out our editorialist Etienne Lefebvre.
The same weakness that allowed the railway workers to obtain from the management of the SNCFthat it, so to speak, empties the pension reform of its substance, explains Denis Fainsilber. This inglorious agreement, again under the pretext of avoiding strikes during the Olympics, will have an economic and moral cost, denounces our editorialist David Barroux.
Dust off, simplify… Bruno Le Maire presented this week fifty measures based on the work of Sisyphus, says Sébastien Dumoulin who lists the main ones here. But as our editorialist Jean-Francis Pécresse points out, as long as the public sphere does not shrink, it will be useless to wait for a big day of administrative simplification. Like Sisyphus, we will have to start again…
French people in the spotlight
This is a subject that deserves to be simplified: exemptions from charges on wages. In a study, two economists point out the limits of these complex systems and provide ideas for reviewing them, explains Alain Ruello. Let us note to complete the reflection this other study revealed to us by our correspondent in Berlin Emmanuel Grasland showing that France and Germany are neck and neck in terms of labor costs in Europe. This does not prevent hiring intentions from remaining strong in France with nearly 2.8 million recruitment projects this year, a historically high level.
A Frenchman, Christophe Fouquet, has just won the position of boss of the European chip champion, the Dutch company ASML, valued at more than 300 billion euros, indicates Florian Dèbes. Also rare, another Frenchman, Christophe Weber, has been running the Japanese pharmacy leader, the group Takeda. In a long interview, he gives us his vision of the evolution of Japanese capitalism, the place of women in Japanese society and the role of artificial intelligence in innovation.
She is not yet a boss but her destiny is already exceptional: at 31, Aude Durand is number 2 in the group Iliad. In a wonderful portrait, Aliénor Lefèvre tells how she was recruited by Xavier Niel and how she experiences her meteoric rise. Inspiring.
We know that our universe is expanding and this expansion is accelerating, which is not self-evident. What mysterious force pushes this acceleration? Where does this come from “dark energy” ? Our scientist Yann Verdo explains to us what we know, which allows us to better understand what we don’t yet know… Fascinating.