Berger calls on Macron to “keep his nerves”

By evoking a “democratic crisis”, the leader of the CFDT has drawn new criticism from the President of the Republic.

By Je. M. with AFP

Laurent Berger at the end of the meeting organized in Matignon between the inter-union and Élisabeth Borne, Wednesday April 5, 2023.
© BERTRAND GUAY / AFP

Published on 04/06/2023 at 08:45

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C’is a sequence that contrasts with his usual phlegm. The secretary general of the CFDT, Laurent Berger, called on Wednesday evening Emmanuel Macron to “keep his nerves” after several attacks by the head of state, or those around him, targeting the attitude of the first French union in the conflict over the retreats.

“I call for calm. I call to keep his nerves. I call on the President of the Republic not to throw out small sentences. […] Otherwise, he will end up alienating all the trade unions, ”said Laurent Berger on BFMTV, visibly exasperated by these remarks.

From China, where the head of state is traveling, Emmanuel Macron’s entourage targeted the inter-union on Wednesday, and in particular the CFDT and its secretary general who spoke at the end of a meeting with Elisabeth “Democratic crisis” terminal about the conflict over pensions. The entourage of the Head of State also considered that “no social and political opposition force” had “wanted to enter into a compromise and carry out another project”. “For the first time in its contemporary history, the CFDT has not proposed another project”, we lamented from the same source. “The answer was: nothing. »

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These words echo previous statements by the Head of State during a television interview on March 22.

” Lie “

On BFMTV, Laurent Berger once again qualified these allegations as “lies”, as he had already done after the interview with the President of the Republic.

“It’s been twice that we point the CFDT in terms of responsibility, there will not be three … that’s enough now”, he was moved. “We have to stop, we are not in the schoolyard,” he said again. “We are not in a political fight,” he added. “There is no personal matter,” he added as speculation swirls about a hypothetical mutual animosity between Emmanuel Macron and him. “The President of the Republic must consider that there is a social crisis, a democratic crisis, with a risk of the rise of the far right”, again posed the Cedtist leader.