Retraites: les dilemmes de Renaissance
Comment enjamber le débat sur la suspension de la réforme des retraites ? Contraint d’avaliser une remise en cause de son bilan, le parti Renaissance entend soumettre “sa” propre réforme, illustration d’une position inconfortable entre la nécessaire “stabilité” de l’exécutif et la volonté de se projeter dans l’après-Macron.L’heure est à l’introspection chez les macronistes. Voire aux règlements de compte. Dimanche, sur France 5, l’ancien ministre de l’Économie Bruno Le Maire a réaffirmé avoir alerté Emmanuel Macron sur le dérapage des comptes publics, plaidant en vain pour un budget rectificatif au printemps 2024, avant la dissolution de l’Assemblée nationale.Après cinq ans de règne sans partage, deux ans de majorité relative et deux Premiers ministres éconduits depuis la dissolution, les soutiens du président n’ont guère le choix: si, avec la nomination et la reconduction de Sébastien Lecornu à Matignon, ils ont conservé la plupart des leviers gouvernementaux et évité la censure immédiate, le prix à payer, fixé par le Parti socialiste, est élevé. Et comprend la fameuse suspension jusqu’à la présidentielle de la réforme Borne, examinée par l’Assemblée mercredi.Un crève-coeur ? Peut-être. Mais “pour les gens, la suspension de la réforme est actée” et “nous, on ne peut pas faire dérailler le truc”, estimait récemment un dirigeant de Renaissance.Gabriel Attal a plaidé pour l’abstention, lundi soir en réunion de groupe. “Certains souhaitent voter contre la suspension tout en soutenant le PLFSS (projet de loi de financement de la sécurité sociale, ndlr). D’autres pensent qu’il faut s’abstenir pour marquer le compromis. Le Premier ministre a semblé favorable à une abstention, qui permettrait de défendre notre projet sans bloquer le compromis”, avait-il expliqué dans la journée lors d’un échange avec la presse.”Il y aura de l’abstention en grande majorité, quelques pour et quelques contre”, anticipe une source gouvernementale, qui table sur une position similaire au MoDem, tandis que les députés Horizons, le parti d’Édouard Philippe, devraient voter contre.La suspension “obère l’avenir”, a jugé sur LCI le député Renaissance Marc Ferracci, qui votera contre.- Débat du “passé” -Mais pas question, pour Gabriel Attal, de se laisser happer par un débat qui “appartient au passé”.L’ancien Premier ministre, qui a entamé un large travail d’inventaire du macronisme au pouvoir, y voit “un épisode supplémentaire du débat sans fin infligé aux Français depuis des décennies”. Avec “à chaque fois le même discours (sur) la réforme de la dernière chance pour sauver le système”, rhétorique à laquelle l’ancien porte-parole du gouvernement a lui-même largement contribué.Sans nourrir d’illusion sur la possibilité d’une adoption d’ici l’élection présidentielle, Renaissance va déposer une proposition de loi reprenant la réforme conçue par le parti et présentée en juillet, pour “un système universel, clair et compréhensible”. S’inspirant en partie de la réforme abandonnée en 2020.”On fera progressivement converger les différents régimes, de telle sorte qu’un euro cotisé ouvre les mêmes droits, que l’on soit salarié, fonctionnaire ou indépendant”, a expliqué M. Attal.Ce “nouveau système” ferait disparaître l’âge légal de départ “devenu un non-sens”. “Chacun sera libre de choisir le moment où il part. On ne fixe qu’une condition: il faudra un montant minimal de pension de retraite à atteindre pour pouvoir liquider sa retraite”, a-t-il développé.”L’État doit fixer un cadre, des objectifs, et les paramètres (durée et montant de cotisation, NDLR), eux, doivent être déterminés par les partenaires sociaux en suivant une règle d’or budgétaire. Cette règle d’or sera très fermement inscrite, incontournable, c’est l’équilibre financier du système”, a précisé M. Attal.Ce système devra “inciter” à une part de capitalisation mais sans la rendre obligatoire, a par ailleurs indiqué l’ancien locataire de Matignon. Avec la création d’un “fonds de capitalisation à la naissance” dans le cadre duquel chaque enfant recevrait 1.000 euros versés par l’État, placés sur un “compte de capitalisation”.Une proposition que les macronistes entendent également verser au débat via un amendement au projet de loi de finances.”L’objectif premier est d’ouvrir le débat dans la société”, explique M. Attal, résolument tourné vers l’Élysée. “Il n’y a aucune vraie dynamique politique qui puisse s’installer d’ici aux municipales. (…) Il faut survivre, jusqu’au moment où les gens rentreront dans le débat de la présidentielle”, théorisait-on récemment au sommet du parti.
Trump hails Syria’s ‘tough’ ex-jihadist president after historic talks
US President Donald Trump hailed his Syrian counterpart Ahmed al-Sharaa after unprecedented talks at the White House Monday, saying Sharaa’s “rough” past as a jihadist would help him rebuild the war-torn country.Sharaa, whose rebel forces ousted longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad late last year, was the first Syrian leader to visit the White House since the Middle Eastern country’s independence in 1946.But the 43-year-old’s landmark visit to the Oval Office came just days after Washington removed him from its terrorism list. Sharaa’s group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), was formerly affiliated with Al-Qaeda.Trump said he wanted Syria to become “very successful” after more than a decade of civil war and added that he believed Sharaa “can do it, I really do.””He’s a very strong leader. He comes from a very tough place, and he’s a tough guy,” Trump told reporters after the meeting, which was closed to press.”People said he’s had a rough past, we’ve all had rough pasts…And I think, frankly, if you didn’t have a rough past, you wouldn’t have a chance.”Trump said Syria was a “big part” of his plan for a wider Middle East peace plan, which the US president is hoping will prop up the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.But he would not confirm reports that Sharaa would bring Syria into the international US-led alliance against the Islamic State (IS) group, or that it would sign any non-aggression pact with long-term foe Israel.The Syrian president’s visit capped a remarkable turnaround for a former jihadist who once had a $10 million US bounty on his head.In dramatic scenes as he left his meeting with Trump, he climbed out of his motorcade to greet crowds of supporters outside the White House, surrounded on all sides by bodyguards.- ‘Astonishing transformation’ -Syria’s presidency said on X that Sharaa and Trump discussed the bilateral relationship, “the ways to strengthen and develop it, as well as a number of regional and international issues of common interest.”It published photos of Trump standing and shaking hands with a smiling Sharaa beside the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office.Other pictures showed the Syrian leader sitting opposite Trump with top US officials including Vice President JD Vance, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth and top US military officer Dan Caine.Since taking power, Syria’s new leaders have sought to break from their violent past and present a more moderate image to ordinary Syrians and foreign powers.Sharaa’s White House visit is “a hugely symbolic moment for the country’s new leader, who thus marks another step in his astonishing transformation from militant leader to global statesman,” said Michael Hanna, US program director at the International Crisis Group.The Syrian met Trump for the first time in Saudi Arabia during the US leader’s regional tour in May. At the time the 79-year-old Trump dubbed Sharaa, 43, as “a young, attractive guy.”Sharaa was expected to seek US funds for Syria, which faces significant challenges in rebuilding after 13 years of devastating civil war.After his arrival in Washington, Sharaa over the weekend met with IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva over possible aid.Sharaa’s jihadist past has caused controversy in some quarters but the State Department’s decision Friday to remove Sharaa from the blacklist was widely expected.The Syrian president has also been making diplomatic outreach towards Washington’s rivals. He met Russian President Vladimir Putin in October in their first meeting since the removal of Assad, a key Kremlin ally.
Trump hails Syria’s ‘tough’ ex-jihadist president after historic talks
US President Donald Trump hailed his Syrian counterpart Ahmed al-Sharaa after unprecedented talks at the White House Monday, saying Sharaa’s “rough” past as a jihadist would help him rebuild the war-torn country.Sharaa, whose rebel forces ousted longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad late last year, was the first Syrian leader to visit the White House since the Middle Eastern country’s independence in 1946.But the 43-year-old’s landmark visit to the Oval Office came just days after Washington removed him from its terrorism list. Sharaa’s group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), was formerly affiliated with Al-Qaeda.Trump said he wanted Syria to become “very successful” after more than a decade of civil war and added that he believed Sharaa “can do it, I really do.””He’s a very strong leader. He comes from a very tough place, and he’s a tough guy,” Trump told reporters after the meeting, which was closed to press.”People said he’s had a rough past, we’ve all had rough pasts…And I think, frankly, if you didn’t have a rough past, you wouldn’t have a chance.”Trump said Syria was a “big part” of his plan for a wider Middle East peace plan, which the US president is hoping will prop up the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.But he would not confirm reports that Sharaa would bring Syria into the international US-led alliance against the Islamic State (IS) group, or that it would sign any non-aggression pact with long-term foe Israel.The Syrian president’s visit capped a remarkable turnaround for a former jihadist who once had a $10 million US bounty on his head.In dramatic scenes as he left his meeting with Trump, he climbed out of his motorcade to greet crowds of supporters outside the White House, surrounded on all sides by bodyguards.- ‘Astonishing transformation’ -Syria’s presidency said on X that Sharaa and Trump discussed the bilateral relationship, “the ways to strengthen and develop it, as well as a number of regional and international issues of common interest.”It published photos of Trump standing and shaking hands with a smiling Sharaa beside the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office.Other pictures showed the Syrian leader sitting opposite Trump with top US officials including Vice President JD Vance, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth and top US military officer Dan Caine.Since taking power, Syria’s new leaders have sought to break from their violent past and present a more moderate image to ordinary Syrians and foreign powers.Sharaa’s White House visit is “a hugely symbolic moment for the country’s new leader, who thus marks another step in his astonishing transformation from militant leader to global statesman,” said Michael Hanna, US program director at the International Crisis Group.The Syrian met Trump for the first time in Saudi Arabia during the US leader’s regional tour in May. At the time the 79-year-old Trump dubbed Sharaa, 43, as “a young, attractive guy.”Sharaa was expected to seek US funds for Syria, which faces significant challenges in rebuilding after 13 years of devastating civil war.After his arrival in Washington, Sharaa over the weekend met with IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva over possible aid.Sharaa’s jihadist past has caused controversy in some quarters but the State Department’s decision Friday to remove Sharaa from the blacklist was widely expected.The Syrian president has also been making diplomatic outreach towards Washington’s rivals. He met Russian President Vladimir Putin in October in their first meeting since the removal of Assad, a key Kremlin ally.
Stocks rally on hopes of US government shutdown ending
Stock markets charged higher Monday as investors cheered prospects that the US government shutdown could be nearing an end, after lawmakers reached a deal likely to break the record 40-day impasse.The prospect of operations resuming in the world’s biggest economy helped temper lingering worries about extended tech valuations amid talk of an AI bubble.”Everyone’s now anticipating we’ll see the government reopen in the next couple of days,” said Jack Ablin from Cresset Capital. That’s “good for the consumer, good for investors, really good for anyone who travels,” Ablin said.A group of Democrats in the Senate sided with Republicans in a procedural vote on the deal Sunday evening, clearing the way for a formal debate after reaching a bipartisan agreement to fund government operations through January.A government re-opening could also provide clarity on US inflation and on the soft labor market, which will determine whether the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates again, as is widely expected next month.”If all goes well, some federal agencies could reopen as soon as Friday,” said David Morrison, senior analyst at Trade Nation. He noted that both investors and the Fed had been “flying blind since the beginning of October, with a near-complete absence of data”.”Fed Chair Jerome Powell has played down the prospect of another rate cut in December, as it is far from obvious that inflation has peaked,” Morrison added. But as the shutdown entered its 41st day on Monday, investors focused on the US government reopening. They had grown increasingly concerned about the impact of severe disruptions of food benefits to low-income households, and of air travel heading into the Thanksgiving holiday.”Shutdowns haven’t typically had a big bearing on the economy or on financial markets. But, this one…looked as though it might start to cause some trouble,” said analysts at Capital Economics.- Rebound after tech worries -Wall Street opened higher across the board following turbulent losses last week on fears that AI optimism might have pushed tech stocks such as chip heavyweight Nvidia to unsustainable highs.European indices also rose sharply, following similar gains across Asia, with investors also taking heart from a further easing of China-US tensions.Beijing on Monday said it would suspend for one year “special port fees” on US vessels, “simultaneously” with Washington’s pause on levies targeting Chinese ships.The dollar, which steadied versus the euro and the pound, rose against the yen, while oil prices gained slightly after losses last week over concerns of hefty supply amid uncertainty over global demand.”Risk is back on, and last week’s sell-off seems like a distant memory,” said Kathleen Brooks, research director at trading platform XTB.”There are some risks ahead, but unless we see a meaningful decline in Fed rate cut expectations, or a weak earnings report from (major computer chip-maker) Nvidia next week, then stocks could be poised to rally into year end,” she said.- Key figures at 2110 GMT -New York – Nasdaq: up 2.3 percent at 23,527.17 (close)New York – S&P 500: up 1.5 percent at 6,832.43 (close)New York – Dow: UP 0.8 percent at 47,368.63 (close)London – FTSE 100: UP 1.1 percent at 9,787.15 (close)Paris – CAC 40: UP 1.3 percent at 8,055.51 (close)Frankfurt – DAX: UP 1.7 percent at 23,959.99 (close)Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 1.3 percent at 50,911.76 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 1.6 percent at 26,649.06 (close)Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.5 percent at 4,018.60 (close)Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1563 from $1.1566 on FridayPound/dollar: UP at $1.3182 from $1.3162Dollar/yen: UP at 154.03 yen from 153.42 yenEuro/pound: UP at 88.00 pence from 87.88 penceBrent North Sea Crude: UP 0.4 percent at $64.06 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: UP 0.7 percent at $60.13 per barrel
Stocks rally on hopes of US government shutdown ending
Stock markets charged higher Monday as investors cheered prospects that the US government shutdown could be nearing an end, after lawmakers reached a deal likely to break the record 40-day impasse.The prospect of operations resuming in the world’s biggest economy helped temper lingering worries about extended tech valuations amid talk of an AI bubble.”Everyone’s now anticipating we’ll see the government reopen in the next couple of days,” said Jack Ablin from Cresset Capital. That’s “good for the consumer, good for investors, really good for anyone who travels,” Ablin said.A group of Democrats in the Senate sided with Republicans in a procedural vote on the deal Sunday evening, clearing the way for a formal debate after reaching a bipartisan agreement to fund government operations through January.A government re-opening could also provide clarity on US inflation and on the soft labor market, which will determine whether the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates again, as is widely expected next month.”If all goes well, some federal agencies could reopen as soon as Friday,” said David Morrison, senior analyst at Trade Nation. He noted that both investors and the Fed had been “flying blind since the beginning of October, with a near-complete absence of data”.”Fed Chair Jerome Powell has played down the prospect of another rate cut in December, as it is far from obvious that inflation has peaked,” Morrison added. But as the shutdown entered its 41st day on Monday, investors focused on the US government reopening. They had grown increasingly concerned about the impact of severe disruptions of food benefits to low-income households, and of air travel heading into the Thanksgiving holiday.”Shutdowns haven’t typically had a big bearing on the economy or on financial markets. But, this one…looked as though it might start to cause some trouble,” said analysts at Capital Economics.- Rebound after tech worries -Wall Street opened higher across the board following turbulent losses last week on fears that AI optimism might have pushed tech stocks such as chip heavyweight Nvidia to unsustainable highs.European indices also rose sharply, following similar gains across Asia, with investors also taking heart from a further easing of China-US tensions.Beijing on Monday said it would suspend for one year “special port fees” on US vessels, “simultaneously” with Washington’s pause on levies targeting Chinese ships.The dollar, which steadied versus the euro and the pound, rose against the yen, while oil prices gained slightly after losses last week over concerns of hefty supply amid uncertainty over global demand.”Risk is back on, and last week’s sell-off seems like a distant memory,” said Kathleen Brooks, research director at trading platform XTB.”There are some risks ahead, but unless we see a meaningful decline in Fed rate cut expectations, or a weak earnings report from (major computer chip-maker) Nvidia next week, then stocks could be poised to rally into year end,” she said.- Key figures at 2110 GMT -New York – Nasdaq: up 2.3 percent at 23,527.17 (close)New York – S&P 500: up 1.5 percent at 6,832.43 (close)New York – Dow: UP 0.8 percent at 47,368.63 (close)London – FTSE 100: UP 1.1 percent at 9,787.15 (close)Paris – CAC 40: UP 1.3 percent at 8,055.51 (close)Frankfurt – DAX: UP 1.7 percent at 23,959.99 (close)Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 1.3 percent at 50,911.76 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 1.6 percent at 26,649.06 (close)Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.5 percent at 4,018.60 (close)Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1563 from $1.1566 on FridayPound/dollar: UP at $1.3182 from $1.3162Dollar/yen: UP at 154.03 yen from 153.42 yenEuro/pound: UP at 88.00 pence from 87.88 penceBrent North Sea Crude: UP 0.4 percent at $64.06 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: UP 0.7 percent at $60.13 per barrel
Trump a reçu le président syrien pour une rencontre historique
De la liste noire du FBI à la Maison Blanche: Donald Trump a reçu lundi Ahmad al-Chareh, une première pour un chef d’Etat syrien et une consécration pour l’ancien jihadiste.”Je l’aime bien”, a réagi le président américain après la rencontre, qui s’est déroulée loin des caméras, en ajoutant: “Nous ferons tout ce que nous pouvons pour que la Syrie réussisse.””Il a un passé brutal, et je pense, franchement, que sans passé brutal vous n’avez aucune chance”, a encore dit le milliardaire de 79 ans.Il avait déjà exprimé sa sympathie pour le président intérimaire, dont la coalition islamiste a renversé le dirigeant de longue date Bachar al-Assad en décembre 2024, pendant leur toute première rencontre, en mai dans le Golfe.Le département d’Etat a annoncé à l’occasion de cette visite historique une nouvelle pause des sanctions américaines de la loi César, en attendant que le Congrès ne les lève éventuellement pour de bon.Le président syrien est arrivé discrètement à 11h37 locale (16h37 GMT) à la Maison Blanche.Il est passé par une entrée latérale, sans le protocole habituellement réservé aux chefs d’Etat et de gouvernement étrangers, que le président américain vient presque toujours accueillir sur le perron.- Partisans -Les journalistes n’ont pas non plus été conviés dans le Bureau ovale en présence des deux dirigeants, comme c’est généralement le cas lors de visites officielles.Ahmad al-Chareh a quitté les lieux aux alentours de 13h20 locales (18h20 GMT), et s’est arrêté quelques instants pour saluer des partisans qui l’acclamaient devant la Maison Blanche.La présidence syrienne a publié un communiqué laconique, accompagné de quelques photos, indiquant que les deux dirigeants avaient évoqué “les manières de développer et renforcer” la relation bilatérale, ainsi que “plusieurs sujets régionaux et internationaux”.Ahmad al-Chareh a obtenu une nouvelle pause pour 180 jours de la loi César qui imposait des sanctions américaines drastiques contre le gouvernement de Bachar-al-Assad, et qui avait déjà été suspendue en mai.Le département d’Etat américain est favorable à une levée complète de cette loi adoptée en 2019, qui bannissait la Syrie du système bancaire international et des transactions financières en dollars, mais cela passe par un vote du Congrès.Ni Washington ni Damas n’ont communiqué dans l’immédiat sur une autre annonce qui était attendue lundi.Pendant la visite, la Syrie devait en effet signer un accord pour rejoindre la coalition internationale antijihadiste menée par les Etats-Unis, selon l’émissaire américain pour la Syrie, Tom Barrack. – Base militaire -Les Etats-Unis, eux, prévoient d’établir une base militaire près de Damas, “pour coordonner l’aide humanitaire et observer les développements entre la Syrie et Israël”, selon une autre source diplomatique en Syrie.Vendredi, Washington avait retiré le dirigeant syrien de la liste noire des terroristes. Depuis 2017 et jusqu’à décembre dernier, le FBI offrait une récompense de 10 millions de dollars pour toute information menant à l’arrestation du leader de l’ancienne branche locale d’Al-Qaïda, le groupe Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).Jeudi, le Conseil de sécurité de l’ONU avait aussi levé les sanctions contre Ahmad al-Chareh, à l’initiative des Etats-Unis.Dès sa prise de pouvoir, le dirigeant syrien a rompu avec son passé, multipliant les ouvertures vers l’Occident et les Etats de la région, dont Israël avec lequel son pays est théoriquement en guerre.Il a toutefois aussi promis de “redéfinir” la relation de son pays avec la Russie de Vladimir Poutine, allié-clé de Bachar al-Assad, qu’il a rencontré à Moscou il y a moins d’un mois. “Trump amène Chareh à la Maison Blanche pour dire qu’il n’est plus un terroriste (…) mais un dirigeant pragmatique et, surtout, flexible qui, sous la direction américaine et saoudienne, fera de la Syrie un pilier régional stratégique”, explique l’analyste Nick Heras.En mai, Donald Trump avait pressé son homologue syrien de rejoindre les accords d’Abraham, qui ont vu plusieurs pays arabes reconnaître Israël en 2020.