Macron warns that France must prepare for a difficult period

Macron warns that France must prepare for a difficult period

Macron says France faces “sacrifices” in a new era marked by climate change and Russia’s war in Ukraine.

French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that France faces ‘sacrifices’ in a new era marked by conditions change and the instability caused by Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine, which marked ” the end of “abundance”.

After a drought-ridden summer, massive fires, and continued loss of life in Ukraine, the 44-year-old leader gave a tough speech Wednesday at the start of the first cabinet meeting after the country’s traditional August holiday.

“I believe that we are experiencing a turning point or a great upheaval. Firstly because we are living… the end of what may seem like the end of abundance,” he said.

Referring to the war in Ukraine, Macron also said: “Our system based on freedom in which we are used to living, sometimes when we have to defend it, can involve sacrifices. ”

The speech appeared designed to prepare the country for what promises to be a difficult winter ahead, with energy prices rising sharply and many families struggling with inflation.

The severe drought over the summer, leading to water restrictions across most of the country, has also caused many French people to express fears about the increasingly obvious effects of climate change.

“This overview that I give – the end of abundance, the end of indifference, the end of guesswork – is ultimately a tipping point that we are going through that can lead our citizens to feel a lot of anxiety,” Macron continued.

“Faced with this, we have duties, the first of which is to speak frankly and very clearly without doom-mongering,” he said.

Macron was re-elected in April to a second term but lost his parliamentary majority in elections in June, meaning Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne heads a minority government that depends on opposition parties to pass legislation.