Emmanuel Macron fears a rise in tensions in France

2023-10-12 08:33:06
The Minister of National Education, Gabriel Attal (left), the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin (center), and the Chief Rabbi of France, Haïm Korsia (right), visit a Jewish school in Sarcelles ( Val-d’Oise), October 11, 2023. RAPHAEL LAFARGUE / AFP

Faced with barbarism in Israel, Emmanuel Macron seeks to preserve the harmony of the nation. Five days after the terrorist attack launched by Hamas with the support of Islamic Jihad, the Head of State was to receive, Thursday October 12 at 12 p.m. at the Elysée, the various leaders of the political parties represented in Parliament as well as the presidents of the National Assembly and the Senate. No political leader from the presidential camp or the opposition should be missing. Not even the coordinator of La France insoumise (LFI), Manuel Bompard, a movement castigated by all political leaders for refusing to qualify Hamas as a terrorist organization. The deputy for Bouches-du-Rhône confirmed his presence at the Monde, on Wednesday afternoon.

Also read our live: Live, Israel-Hamas war: the Israeli army targets Hamas “centers” in Gaza, the armed group responds with rocket fire on Tel Aviv

This meeting, without collaborators or mobile phones, specifies the Elysée, reproduces the format of the meeting already held on August 30 within the former royal abbey of Saint-Denis (Seine-Saint-Denis). It will be followed by a solemn speech by the Head of State at 8 p.m. on France 2 and TF1. “It is surprising that the President of the Republic, who speaks for a yes or a no, has nothing to say about the terrible massacre committed by Islamist terrorists in Israel and about the measures he intends to take to protect our country from this murderous madness”, the president of the National Rally group at the Palais-Bourbon, Marine Le Pen, quipped Wednesday on X (formerly Twitter).

“In an era of informational confusion, where the flow of hatred mixes with “fake news” and unbearable images, Emmanuel Macron has the duty to soothe, to reassure, to give form to reality to protect unity. This is the role of a modern head of state”responds the former pen of the president, Jonathan Guémas, responsible for the response within the presidential Renaissance party, now an executive at Publicis.

A hundred anti-Semitic acts since Saturday

If the meeting does not aim, according to the Elysée, to “target one party more than another”, Emmanuel Macron intends to call the representatives of the different political parties to unity. The attitude of the “rebellious” is particularly worrying, while the executive fears that the conflict will spread to France. The Ministry of the Interior recalls that 10% of the population declares itself Muslim. “LFI’s speech is community-oriented”storm Hervé Marseille, senator from Hauts-de-Seine and president of the Union of Democrats and Independents.

You have 57.86% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.