"When we say that there is a difference in the polls between the president and prime minister, what it means, as they implement the same policy?" Questioned Francois Fillon. Photo credits: AFP
The Prime Minister invited Europe 1 Tuesday morning, rejected any plan de rigueur after the municipal elections and reiterated its confidence to approach the 2% growth in 2008. Find the main points of his speech.
Government Reorganization: "no news"

The government reshuffle is "not a current topic." Francois Fillon did not want to dwell on this subject of micro Europe 1. Nor that about his own future at Matignon, "an issue that is between the president and me," he added.

Polls: "terribly ambiguous"

Francois Fillon called for relativize the importance of opinion polls which give well ahead of the Head of State in terms of popularity. "When we say that there is a difference in the polls between the president and prime minister, what it means, as they implement the same policy?" Questioned Francois Fillon. As for the head of state, he assured, it has "a very great ability to rebound," and "will implement the project between 2007 and 2012 whatever happens."

"No plan de rigueur" after the municipal

"There will be no plan rigour. There is a budget 2008 (…), it will be implemented, "said the prime minister, asked to respond to accusations of Laurent Fabius, that the government would prepare a plan for after the voting. "Of course, depending on growth and tax revenue (…), we made adjustments on spending. It has nothing to do with a rigorous, "he said. What says "Fabius is wrong, this is not worthy of a statesman to lie with this consistency there."

Growth: "very close to 2%"

While the IMF and the European Commission have lowered their growth forecast for France in 2008, the prime minister has shown confidence in the country's ability to approach "very close" to a growth rate 2%. "We are doing the reforms that will allow us to pick up tenths of points."

On the pace of reforms, Francois Fillon said would "accelerate": "We are going to propose a project for the modernization of the economy with measures to support small and medium enterprises," he said referring also "a very Ambitious support for new technologies, "the reform of the distribution livret A" and a "bill flexicurity."

UIMM: "good reaction" by Laurence Parisot

"I think Ms. Parisot had good reaction," said the head of government to the intervention of the president of Medef in the case of contracts awarded to the former chairman of the organization of metallurgy. "Everybody was shocked by both the amount of severance pay Mr. Gautier-Sauvagnac, but especially by the method. " "But (…) the role of government is not a substitute for justice," said Francois Fillon immediately. The head of government also confirmed that the tax "(did) not set aside this issue."

Francois Fillon took advantage of this issue to get back on the modernization of social dialogue ". It announced that it had given "until March 31" next to the social partners for him "make proposals" on the subject and especially the financing of trade unions. The Prime Minister wished "that all trade unions and employer organisations should certify their accounts by an auditor."

Municipal: the PS wants to deceive French

According to Francois Fillon, the PS wants to "mislead" in French wishing to conduct municipal elections "a third round of the presidential election" in order to "rebuild their health." "The municipal elections will not have any impact on the draft policy chosen by the French if there would be more democracy," he added, before criticizing the leader of the PS: "Francois Hollande during elections Local is very active. We see less when it comes to defending a political project for our country ".

Chad: France will grant asylum to an opponent

France will "political asylum" to the opponent Chad Ngarlejy Yorongar, "said Francois Fillon. This opponent has surfaced Sunday in Yaounde, Cameroon, when he was reported missing since February 3. The prime minister has instead asked about the situation of other opponents who disappeared during and after the rebel attack on the capital N'Djamena early February.

Colombia: Betancourt free "for humanitarian reasons"

Francois Fillon called today "the immediate release on humanitarian grounds" of Ingrid Betancourt, preventing the FARC rebels that the death of the French-Colombian hostage "does provide that the stigma around the world." "The Life of Ingrid Betancourt is in danger, with or without the implementation of number 2 FARC," said Fillon about Raul Reyes whose elimination Saturday has caused an escalation of tensions between Colombia and its neighbors.