Macron's days of destiny

President Emmanuel Macron is trying to reform the anachronic French pension system. It is a major task in a country that is used to keep the acquired advantages, even when there is no logical reason for that. Moreover, even when they are no longer sustainable and have lost the foundations that could justify them. Such reform requires strong political will and an extremely smart approach. The President seems to have the political will, at least in some degree. But I am not sure he has the ability that is necessary to navigate such a stormy matter. Determination without a good dose of ingenuity leads to defeat.

Floods, demonstrations and media attention

The floods in and around Paris and other areas have washed away from the news the strikes and other demonstrations that had made the headlines prior to these natural calamities. And mass action without plenty of pictures on TV loses speed and strength. But the issues are still on the table and we can expect the protests to come back once the waters have receded. But the momentum will no longer be the same. Furthermore, with the Euro football matches about to kick off, there will be further competition for media space. In addition, we will hear a number of voices calling for restraint during the championship. The government should take advantage of this quieter period to better communicate its policies and their context. That has to be done with a different kind of skills, in a more conciliatory and patient tone, not with the intransigent way of speaking we have seen the Prime Minister making use of. 

Europe is heading towards nasty social confrontations

Europe´s cost of living is too high. In addition, the tax systems are too heavy. For many families the money is not just enough. And that explains, in many ways, why we have more and more nasty general strikes and street protests in countries that have been traditionally quiet. When the income is short, compared to the costs of living a basic life, any cut on salaries, pensions, subsidies or allocations makes a big difference. The problem is that we should expect more income reductions and therefore additional social conflicts.