in the face of criticism, Emmanuel Macron responds

Emmanuel Macron is trying to get out of the energy rut. While France fears gas supply disruptions this winter against a backdrop of war in Ukraine, the President of the Republic has chosen to make his comeback on the subject in the very solemn setting of a press conference at the Elysium. Quiet or almost since the 14th of Julywhen he asked the country to prepare for a scenario where we have to do without Russian gasEmmanuel Macron detailed the dark scenario for the coming year: a total cut in gas supplies combined with a harsh winter. In which case the country would then have to resolve to “rationing”. Added to inflation, this is enough to catch a glimpse of the specter of social anger again.

To avoid reaching that point, the Head of State called on the French to “sobriety”in the extension of all the members of the government, starting with the Prime Minister, Élisabeth Borne. “The solution is in our hands” he assured, calling for “change behavior” For example, “turn the air conditioning down a bit”and “the heating a little less strong than usual”. An amazing remedy for a country that has made energy independence a cardinal value since General de Gaulle.

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With the current crisis, Emmanuel Macron is accused of having sold off the French nuclear industry, first at Bercy, when he was Minister of the Economy, then at the Élysée Palace, under pressure from environmentalists. Last attack to date, that of Jean-Bernard Lévy, CEO of EDF (of which the State is an 84% shareholder, and which will be nationalized very soon), during the Medef summer school last Monday.“We lack arms, we do not have enough teams (…) because we were told: “your nuclear fleet, it is declining”had recalled the leader, who must very soon leave his post . “Prepare to close the following twelve (power plants). Obviously we didn’t hire to do it, but to undo it. »

The maintenance work on the existing fleet is in no way conditioned by the decisions on new nuclear that I took, it is true, at the end of my mandate.

Emmanuel Macron

These remarks provoked anger and a dry clarification from the President of the Republic, who had reappointed the boss to his post in 2019. “It is unacceptable that people who have been responsible for the maintenance of the installed base (of power plants) say they lacked visibilitystruck a very virulent Emmanuel Macron. We have postponed (…) the closure of the power plants initially planned and restored visibility to the sector. Everyone in their place must take their responsibilities. The maintenance work on the existing fleet is in no way conditioned by the decisions on new nuclear power that I took, it is true, at the end of my mandate. Who would think that a country endowed with such a fleet of (reactors) could make (its investments and recruitments) based on an order for new reactors? This is wrong and irresponsible. »

To defend himself, the Head of State went so far as to quote his former Minister of Ecological Transition Nicolas Hulot, whom he had convinced, at the start of his previous mandate, to postpone for ten years the objective of bringing to 50% the share of nuclear in the energy mix.“The president is very annoyed by the lack of consistency in the attacks against him. Those who accuse him today of unpreparedness are the same as those who accused him yesterday of having made Nicolas Hulot swallow snakes to protect the nuclear industry”argues a familiar of the palace.

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The CEO of EDF found himself caught up in the political battle of the start of the school year. His exit at the Rencontre des entrepreneurs de France was actually a response to criticism of Matignon leaking in the press around his management of the nuclear fleet. It was for him to defend his company and his own balance sheet at the time of leaving his post. Alas, he exasperated all levels of the executive. From the Minister of Energy Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, sitting next to him when he made his statements, to the Élysée.

And for good reason: the exit of the CEO, relayed on social networks, gave cartridges to the right-wing opposition, which accuses Emmanuel Macron of not being sufficiently pro-nuclear and of being at the origin of the risk of cuts electric this winter. However, how to ask the French, as the president did, to show energy sobriety, if the latter think that the current situation is due to his inaction?

fierce battle

The tensions between the management of EDF and the executive do not date from last week. Many within the government have blamed Jean-Bernard Lévy for the failure of the group’s reorganization around the plan called “Hercules“, Last year. The CEO would not have succeeded in attracting the good graces of the reformist unions in the house to have this restructuring accepted.

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A fierce lobbying battle ensued in December over EDF’s contribution to the tariff shield. Forced to drop 8 billion euros to protect the French, the group’s management brought the case before the Council of State this summer, asking for compensation. A company that attacks its state shareholder, we had never seen that. But it was the legal responsibility of Jean-Bernard Lévy, who must defend the interests of his company. Even if it means displeasing at the top, but at the worst time. The one where the President of the Republic seeks to give meaning to his second term.