“The carelessness to denounce is that of the rich”

Dunkirk (North), special correspondent

L’ « recklessness » is far from reflecting the daily life of the families who were able to enjoy Thursday, the time of a “day at the united sea”, of the beach of Malo-les-Bains, in Dunkirk (North). Landed by the thousands from buses chartered throughout the Nord department by the PCF, many of them have had to tighten their belts for months to cope with inflation. « It’s the second year that we can’t go on vacation, it’s more and more difficult, if only to buy food », says Amélie, who took the bus early in the morning from Saint-Amand-les-Eaux with her three children. For the small family equipped with a picnic, the day is a well-deserved breath of fresh air.

It is also an opportunity for the national secretary of the PCF to make his comeback. And this year, the theme, already a battleground in the Assembly before the summer break, is all found: purchasing power. “The President of the Republic dares to tell us that it is ‘the end of abundance and carelessness’ and that we have to ‘make an effort’. But in which country does he live, he who is back from his castle of Brégançon with jet-ski and private swimming pool? » launches Fabien Roussel from the Kursaal congress center, where one-day holidaymakers are welcomed with a little drink.

Among them, Emmanuel Macron’s speech during the Council of Ministers on Wednesday did not go better. » Some efforts ! ? We already do a lot. We both work with my husband, and we are forced to make more and more sacrifices, they want to deprive us of the slightest pleasure., chokes Anne-Sophie. If for this mother of two little girls, a week of summer vacation was possible until then, this year she had to give it up.

As for the measures voted by Parliament in August with the package on purchasing power, they do not raise concerns. “We have a bonus in September, it’s very good. But then, what are we going to do? » asks Virginie, ready to go to sea with her 12-year-old twins. Even they don’t really know the lightness of mind that the Head of State calls for to give up: « One of my sons was the first to worry about it when he saw that the 10 frozen minced steaks went from 5 to 9 euros… »

« The recklessness that I want to denounce is not that of the French but of the super-rich who continue to live as before, or even better, while we are in the midst of a crisis », continues Fabien Roussel. He came up with the latest ranking Challenges under the arm : “After five years of Macron’s presidency, the 500 greatest fortunes have increased by 75% and exceeded 1,000 billion euros. » Something to leave you thinking in the room, where Chantal explains that with 1,200 euros in retirement pension, between her charges and the support for her son, she had to give up meat. « Before, when we did a lot of shopping, it was 50 to 80 euros, and now it’s 120, 130, 150… » calculates, leaning on her cane, her friend Thérèse.

“Rousselling” measures against the high cost of living

The risk, according to the head of the PCF in the North, Karine Trottein, is that “acceptance, resignation are gaining ground”. “We already hear continues the communist, wondering if we’re going to cut off their electricity this winter. » So, behind his microphone, Fabien Roussel is firing on all cylinders: “tax on the superprofits of large groups”, “anti-speculation tax”, “exceptional solidarity tax on large fortunes”… So many measures of « rustling » – the reverse of Macron’s trickle – which Communist parliamentarians will defend during the examination of the 2023 budget in order to fuel “a fund for climate and purchasing power”. “We are proposing to snatch 50 billion euros per year from capital and that the State and the European Central Bank put as much in: that’s 150 billion. This is how we will give ourselves the means to meet our needs”, insists the deputy. And while fuel prices continue to undermine purchasing power, the deputy from the North proposes, to combine social and climate justice, “a transport card giving free access to the TER, metro and clean bus networks in France as well as ten free TGV journeys”.

Increase in minimum wage, wages and pensions also figure prominently in the demands made on Thursday. « We, the Communist Party, together with the other left and environmental forces and the trade unions, will call for mobilization until the government hears our thirst for justice, progress and Happy Days », assures Fabien Roussel, who will launch the message again at the PCF summer school this weekend in Strasbourg. In perspective, the days of trade union action on September 22 and 29, but also the « march against the dear life » scheduled for early October and that on the side of the PCF we hope « as large as possible ». It will take that to bring Emmanuel Macron back to reality.