They are not failures of current we will stop

The left claim every day his departure, Jean-Pierre Raffarin is still there, determined to "serve" as long as the President of the Republic will need him. Three days after the new wake-up call for the European elections that he immediately minimized, the Prime Minister was yesterday evening on TF1 to say his "pride" to see the reforms move forward and assert its determination to pursue them. "They are not failures of current we will stop." These behaviors are unacceptable. "I asked the company to sanctions", he launched by severely condemning the actions by some officers to try to prevent the change of status of EDF. Jean-Pierre Raffarin, at the same time put forward concessions to the CGT and recalled that the company would be any privatised. "We are reforming for the sake of social justice", he still insisted detailing the reform of social security, adopted that morning by the Council of Ministers (see page 2).

Then the Prime Minister is used to draw the prospect of a less difficult tomorrow: after the launch of 800,000 contracts of integration for young people (over five years) in the social cohesion Borloo plan, re-entry will be devoted to the subjects of the future research, school on a bit more cosiness situation merits. It will be after the components "restoration of the Republican authority" and consolidation of the "social pact", the third stage of the Government action. In passing, the Prime Minister stressed there were chances that Europe expands this weekend of a Constitution. "We do not fear the referendum if the text is good", he still said.

Double mission

If, despite the new electoral setback on Sunday, Jean-Pierre Raffarin and collar butt also make good figure, it is because Jacques Chirac needs to save time. To counter the appetites of Nicolas Sarkozy, benefiting from almost all the advantages for the UMP, Jean-Pierre Raffarin is invested with a dual mission: to stage a Government exclusively concerned with the action for good show that, three years before the end of 2007, the presidential competition cannot begin. And try to convince Nicolas Sarkozy that he has more to gain to remain Minister only to conquer the UMP against the will of Jacques Chirac. Without openly enter the competition, the Prime Minister yesterday evening came guarantor of the unity of the movement: "I don't want division", he said Recalling that this unit was the sine qua non of the effectiveness of government action.

A moment, the Prime Minister had openly cherished the idea to him same candidate to the Presidency of the UMP as it is, by virtue of its functions, majority leader. Bad score elections European does more to say also openly, so a part of the questioning is more than reserved, seeing not what new breath could bring a premier victim twice of the "punishment vote". But convinced the battle of the UMP will actually begin in September, Jean-Pierre Raffarin won him time: if Medicare reform passed this summer, and if the situation is more favourable, the deal will be may be to reconsider.