ONLY ON AP Le Maire: 'important' Macron reelected
(17 Dec 2021) French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire called President Emmanuel Macron's potential reelection "very important" in order to boost growth and keep revitalizing the country's economy, ahead of April's presidential vote. Macron has yet to formally declare his candidacy but he made no mystery he intends to seek a second term. In an interview with the Associated Press during a two-day visit to the United States, Le Maire said: "I think it's very important that Emmanuel Macron is re-elected. I think our country needs consistency and stability." Since Macron's election in May 2017, "we had some successes, we also had some failures," he said. "We failed to implement the pension reform. That's a regret because it was needed. We were not able to do it. We'll dot it in the next term." Street protests and the COVID-19 pandemic led Macron to delay the difficult overhauling of France's pension system, which was a key campaign promise. "When you look at (Macron's) five-year term... France is in the right direction, it is on the path to success," Le Maire added, noting that the French government passed measures to make the labour market more flexible and cut taxes on businesses. "This is a key point I want to tell all investors: France has become the most attractive country in Europe," he insisted. France has notably scheduled to further decrease its corporate tax from over 33% five years ago to 25% next year, he detailed. "So I'm telling all American entrepreneurs: come to France, this is the place to be." In a long interview broadcast on national television on Wednesday, Macron said France has a "much stronger economy" despite going through the COVID-19 crisis. France's unemployment rate is at 8.1%, down from about 10% when he was elected, according to national statistics agency INSEE. INSEE estimated the French economy would grow 6.7% this year, the highest rate since 1969. Asked about French views about how to face global competition from China, Le Maire said "we are all aware that the rise of China is a major concern... Then you have to define your strategy. Either to confront China, this is the American choice, or to engage with China. This is the French and I would say the European choice." "For the biggest challenges of the 21st century you need China," he said, citing a new global taxation system, global agreement on reduction of debt for poor countries, and US-China agreement on fighting climate change. French President Emmanuel Macron last week said he does not support a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games, in contrast with the US, Canada and UK which made the decision to protest human rights abuses in China. "There are important problems related to human rights" in China, Le Maire acknowledged. "Our strategy is to divide the problems and to talk to China in a very frank manner." "We are talking to China on human rights, we are talking on trade, we are talking about intellectual property, about access to markets about technological issues," he listed. "I think a step by step approach... is the best one to get some very concrete results." Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
