It did not drag on: from the first day of the year, we understood that France had entered fully into the electoral campaign and not so much because of the wishes of Emmanuel Macron. The president delivered a rather soft speech and it was, like all his predecessors in this kind of exercise, rather the occasion of a self-promotion of his action.
These wishes could however have given rise to numerous and lively comments, in particular with this little sentence in the form of an allusion to the next elections, released towards the end of his speech: “Whatever my place and the circumstances, I will continue to serve you” , said the head of state, clearly indicating that in the event of failure, he would remain in French political life. It was a hell of a lot of information, but it was swept away all weekend by another news, a heated controversy around the European flag placed under the Arc de Triomphe.
A highly symbolic place
The idea was to celebrate the start of the French presidency of the European Union and, very symbolically, to hoist the colors of Europe in the most symbolic place possible, a high place in the memory of the Nation: above the tomb of the unknown soldier. This was without counting the controversy that immediately exploded on the theme: the French flag replaced by that of Europe, it is France which is dissolved in Europe. And it did not drag on: in the night from Saturday to Sunday, hop, disappeared, no more European flag.
For its part, the Elysee Palace defended itself by explaining that the flagging in the colors of Europe was only to last on December 31 and January 1. Rather, it looks like an arrangement with the truth. Moreover, the minister in charge of these European subjects, Clément Beaune, had himself maintained, during the day on Saturday, that this spectacular display was to remain for a few days. Missed.
13 years ago, Nicolas Sarkozy, President of the Republic, also wanted to symbolically mark the start of the French presidency of the European Union, but he took the precaution of raising the two flags under the Arc de Triomphe. side by side, French and European. While on Saturday, not only was the Arc de Triomphe decorated with the 12-star flag, but in addition, its facades were lit in the only blue of Europe. The blue-white-red tricolor had disappeared.
A “real meatball” from the Elysée
It may not seem like much, but from the Elysée, it’s a real dumpling. We know that the electoral campaign has been launched, we know that questions of national identity will be one of the major challenges of the presidential election, and that Emmanuel Macron is not, on these subjects, the most at his ease. To give the opposition such a symbol, really, was a political mistake. And in fact, Valérie Pécresse for example accused the power “to erase the French identity”.
Which earned him to be in turn accused by the majority of racing with the extreme right of Marine Le Pen and Eric Zemmour who had respectively spoken of the disappearance of the French flag as a “provocation” and a “contempt”.
Macron is determined to highlight Europe in his campaign
It is true that she hit hard. But I note that on the left also, for example at La France Insoumise, we clearly disapproved of this display of the European flag. So the question you are asking is, in fact, was this great blue veil and its 12 stars worth this cartoonish battle? Moreover, didn’t Emmanuel Macron’s wishes give rise to an otherwise important controversy, for example when, at the very end of his speech, the President launched: “Long live our Europe, Long live the Republic and Long live France” ? Putting Europe in charge of this proclamation could also be discussed.
Basically, all this confirms that Emmanuel Macron is determined to put the French presidency of the Union very front in his campaign, and that, from the first day, the opposition is determined to contest it and not to it. let it be. With less than 100 days of the first round, the campaign is really launched.