Following the recent surge in fuel prices in France, surpassing 2 euros, Sébastien Lecornu announced on Thursday, April 2nd, targeted assistance measures. But when will they be implemented? Let’s take a look.
They were eagerly awaited by some. Sébastien Lecornu stated in Bordeaux on Thursday that he was considering new “targeted” aid to offset the spike in fuel prices “early next week” and assured that there was “no shortage” in the country.
“I am in favor of targeted aid. Therefore, ministers have received a number of orders to make new proposals for me at the beginning of next week,” said the head of government during a press briefing in Bordeaux.
Concerns about Terrorism
The former Minister of the Armed Forces also stated that the conflict in the Middle East “may directly impact terrorism on national territory,” suggesting that this war could even generate “a new form of terrorism.” “It would be a lie to say that there is no impact on national territory. And it is a major concern, obviously, for the state services,” he added.
He specified that the Minister of the Interior had instructed prefects to “enhance security” at “all places of worship” for the Easter weekend, which coincides this year with the Jewish Passover. “Investigations are ongoing,” he replied. But “we must not hide anything from the French people,” conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East “have an impact on national security,” he said.
“Hybrid Threats”
“They generate hybrid threats, with energy and cyber-attacks being obviously the most apparent,” but the “peculiarity” of the one in the Middle East is “that it can generate a form of terrorism, either terrorism or a new form of terrorism,” he elaborated.
“There is also a temptation or attempt by Iranian services, potentially, to instrumentalize proxies,” for example, “networks of organized crime,” “which can be activated to varying degrees, more or less remotely, more or less immediately or deferred,” he added. “So yes, energy is not the only impact of this war.”
