Ea Home Secretary stammering apologies in the Senate and a new Sports Minister tweeting that she doesn’t want to “collapse under the pressure”: Nothing is going well in the French government with just ten days to go before the first round of general elections. The chaos at the Stade de France at the Champions League final in Paris has dominated public debate for days. On Wednesday evening, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin and the new Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra had to answer questions before the Senate Legal Affairs Committee. Football fans, including families with children, were victims of aggression, theft, sexual harassment and police violence at the Stade de France. A number of fans were denied entry even though they had valid tickets.
“The image we gave at this match violates our national pride,” Interior Minister Darmanin said in the Senate. The game was planned as a celebration of sport that has been thoroughly spoiled. Saint Petersburg was originally planned as the venue. After Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine, President Emmanuel Macron pulled ties with UEFA to move the final to Paris. It was intended as a test run for the 2024 Summer Olympics, where the Stade de France will be a key competition venue. “The government has demonstrated its incompetence to ensure order and security at the stadium,” said Patrick Karam, Olympic representative for the capital region of Ile-de-France. Under these circumstances, he sees black for the summer games.
France’s police are known for their ruthless behavior
“I would like to sincerely apologize for this deployment,” Interior Minister Darmanin said in the Senate. He admitted that there had been “inappropriate use of tear gas by the police”. Peaceful football fans with children had been sprayed with tear gas by overwhelmed police forces. In France, the law enforcement officers are known for their ruthless actions. Unlike in other countries, tear gas is one of the usual operational instruments. Darmanin has now repented, but in the past has prevented changes in the way the police operate. He announced internal investigations.
Darmanin promised that visitors from Spain and Great Britain could file a complaint in their homeland from Monday. Those affected should be able to submit video recordings as evidence. Sports Minister Oudéa-Castéra also expressed her regret about the processes at the stadium. She asked UEFA to quickly compensate the 2,700 British spectators who were not admitted to the stadium despite their valid tickets. However, she had no conclusive explanation for the chaos, but blamed the short-term preparation. “The identity of the finalists” was only known on May 4, she said apologetically. She claimed the difficulties were caused solely by Liverpool fans. The president of the English football club, the American Tom Werner, complained in a letter about the minister’s claims. “The fans were treated like cattle,” complained Werner. They were attacked by gangs. The minister’s hasty claims are not conducive to finding the truth and are not a basis for serious investigations.
Macron’s government slipped away from events shortly before the election
President Macron has meanwhile let it be known how angry he is about the fiasco. The lead of the presidential camp in the election polls is shrinking. The government gives the impression that events are slipping away from them. The new Minister for Solidarity, Damien Abad, is suspected of rape. The shortage of teachers is so severe that Education Minister Pap Ndiaye is filling teaching posts with candidates selected in a speed-dating competition with no qualifications. The new Health Minister Brigitte Bourguignon has so far found no answers to the shortage of staff in the hospitals. At 120 hospitals, the shortage of qualified emergency room personnel is so severe that the Association of Emergency Medical Services fears life-saving assistance may not be available in the future.
Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne hardly appears and seems as if she is waiting for instructions from the President. The diplomats are on strike because Macron wants to break up the diplomatic corps. The reform of the civil service, which has not been coordinated with those affected, is fueling dissatisfaction in other areas as well. According to the latest polls, the Ensemble presidential alliance could fall short of an absolute majority of seats in the National Assembly.