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Le président affirme que la réforme est importante pendant la crise.

Le président affirme que la réforme est importante pendant la crise.
The president affirms that the reform is important during the crisis.
From Lesson 177:Reported statements (il dit que)·French

Questions & Answers about Le président affirme que la réforme est importante pendant la crise.

Why doesn't the tense of est change in this reported speech sentence?
Because the introductory verb (affirme) is in the present tense. When reporting speech in French, if the main "reporting" verb is in the present, the tense in the second part of the sentence (la réforme est...) stays exactly the same as the original quote.
Could I drop the word que like we sometimes drop "that" in English?
No, you can never drop que in French. While in English you can comfortably say "The president affirms the reform is important," French strictly requires que to connect the two parts of the sentence.
I usually just use dit (says) for reported speech. Is affirme common?
Yes! Affirmer is a great, highly common alternative to dire. It carries a slightly stronger meaning, translating to "to assert," "to maintain," or "to state confidently." Using it will make your French sound much more natural and varied.
Why is it pendant la crise? Could I use pour la crise?
No, you cannot use pour here. While English speakers sometimes mix them up because of how we use "for," pour is generally used for intended future durations or a specific purpose. To say "during" an event or time period like la crise, you must use pendant (or its synonym, durant).

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