Another sign of confidence from the current President of the Republic for his predecessor. According to our information, it is Nicolas Sarkozy who, at the request of Emmanuel Macron, will represent France on September 27 at the state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was assassinated last July. The former French head of state will meet representatives of more than 190 countries, including around 50 heads of state and other distinguished foreign guests such as the vice-president of the United States Kamala Harris.
This is not the first time that Emmanuel Macron has entrusted Nicolas Sarkozy, with whom he dined in August at Fort Brégançon (Var), with such a diplomatic mission. Quite the contrary. In October 2019, he had asked him to represent France at the enthronement ceremony of Emperor Naruhito, in the land of the Rising Sun already. A trip that had allowed him to discreetly meet the former boss of Renault-Nissan Carlos Ghosn, then under house arrest.
In December 2018, the French president had asked Nicolas Sarkozy to represent him at the investiture of Salomé Zourabichvili, a former French diplomat, elected president of Georgia; in January 2020, he asked him to present his condolences to the royal family of Oman after the death of Sultan Qabous… In January 2019, Nicolas Sarkozy had also attended the inauguration of Malagasy President Andry Rajoelina as well as the funeral of Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg in May 2019.
“When the President of the Republic calls me to ask my opinion, he knows very well that I will not talk about it to the press or to anyone. It is my duty to do it”, said Nicolas Sarkozy in December 2019 on the set of “C à vous”.