After Annecy, François Bayrou warns against any amalgamation

The emotion aroused by the knife attack in Annecy also caused “waves of absurdity”, estimated François Bayrou, guest this Sunday of the political program the “Grand rendez-vous” Europe 1 – CNews – “Les Echos”. The mayor of Pau dismissed back to back “those who would have liked the ailant to be Muslim”, and those who, after the intervention of the young Catholic Henri, “would like to involve us in religious proselytism”.

If François Bayrou welcomed the courageous gesture of the young man with a backpack, he also described him not as that of a French Catholic, but as that of “someone who is responsible in front of his own, his human brothers “.

Triumph of sectarianism

On migration policy, the president of the Modem wanted to be part of a more global approach. Admittedly, flaws exist in the right of asylum, but this event is not an illustration of this, since the aggressor of Syrian origin had been in Europe for ten years. “Is this terrorism? I don’t know. Is it a delirious puff? I don’t know. »

Among the faults, François Bayrou underlines in particular the slowness with which France responds to requests: “When it takes three or four years, it is obviously a fault. He adds to this the refusal of a return by the countries of origin. But, rather than regain control at the national level, it calls for a common reflection within the European Union. “There can only be solutions if we prepare and apply them together. However, he considers “legitimate” the contribution to the debate of the Les Républicains party. Its president Eric Ciotti calls for a “constitutional shield” on right of asylum and asks to be received at the Elysée.

Refusing to focus on immigration, the president of the Modem denounces the triumph of sectarianism, citing as an example religious and anti-religious, anti-scientific obsessions and the denial of history. “Decivilization, rarely a word has been so well chosen”, he judged, taking up the term used by Emmanuel Macron . While detaching himself from it, because for him, it is necessary to hold a speech of truth to the French. “The country’s problems do not come from outside, nor from immigration, nor from Europe. »

“I am not in power”

For François Bayrou, France’s problems are above all internal and numerous: integration into employment, mental health policy… “For decades, we have not been able to straighten National Education, to find the of production, to find a lasting social contract. »

On the pension reform, he reiterates his criticisms formulated in a note published by the High Commission for the Plan . “We did not tell the truth to the French. Pensions paid today are not paid by contributions, but by debt. »

Although an ally of the presidential majority, François Bayrou cleared himself by saying: “I am not in power. “Does he believe in a reshuffle by the summer? The mayor of Pau kicks into touch. Without prejudging the future of Elisabeth Borne at Matignon , he recalled his vision of what a Prime Minister should be. “Not a collaborator”, but someone who must drive policy with a “capacity for autonomy and a very great complicity with the President of the Republic. »