Macron says accelerating France’s exit from lockdown for greater economic independence

French President Emmanuel Macron on June 14 said that he was accelerating the country's exit from the lockdown while highlighting how France needed to be more self-reliant. France's economy plunged into recession in the first quarter of the year due to the pandemic with hundreds of people being sacked by global companies. 

Cafes to fully open

Making a television address to the country, the French Leader announced that all restaurants and cafés would be allowed to re-open from June 15. In addition, visitors from all European Union nations would also be allowed to inside the country, a move to give respite to the worst affected hospitality industry. Talking about his 500 billion euro aid to keep people in jobs and business afloat, he said that the cost of it would not be passed to the taxpayers.

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According to the latest tally by John Hopkins University, France has reported 1,94,153 cases and 29,410 fatalities as of now. Meanwhile, Macron asserted that the coronavirus pandemic has exposed the “flaws and fragility” of France’s and more broadly Europe’s over-reliance in global supply chains for not only automobiles and smartphones but also pharmaceuticals. Addressing the issue, Macron said that the only answer to it was to build a "stronger economic model, to work and produce more" and not rely on others.

COVID-19 has led to the worst economic recession in France since World War 2. It has also forced Macron to suspend his economic drive to accelerate economic growth, deregulate the economy and create jobs. According to experts, the country’s economy is expected to shrink by 11 per cent in 2020. In his address, Macron also revealed that he would lay out a detailed blueprint for the final two years of his mandate in July.

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