The latest attack in France couldn’t have come at a worse time for the government. On Tuesday night, Prime Minister Édouard Philippe and his ministers dined at the Élysée Palace as the guests of their president, a “moment of conviviality” before they all head off on holidays today. It’s been a trying few weeks for them, what with Emmanuel Macron’s plummeting popularity amid a series of PR disasters for his inexperienced En Marche! party and a spot of R&R is just what everyone needs. Instead, this morning brought news of yet another outrage in the French capital.
Fortunately, casualties were light. Of the six soldiers struck by a BMW outside their barracks in the western suburb of Levallois-Perret, two are reportedly in a serious condition. The driver of the vehicle escaped on foot but, according to the latest reports, has been arrested on the A16 motorway heading in the direction of Calais after a police shootout in which he was wounded.
Although the reason for the attack remains unknown, the mayor of Levallois-Perret, Patrick Balkany, said “without any doubt it was a deliberate act”.
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