The new year has not started well for Emmanuel Macron. It began badly when some bright spark in the Elysée thought it would be a good idea to mark France’s six-month presidency of the European Union by unfurling the bloc’s blue and gold flag under the Arc de Triomphe.
Millions of French were not amused at what they regarded as a sacrilegious gesture. Macron’s two main rivals on the right, Marine Le Pen of the National Rally and Valérie Pécresse of the Republicans, accused the president of dishonouring the memory of the country’s military. By Sunday, the EU flag had made a tactical withdrawal, to the delight of Le Pen, who crowed:
‘The government has been forced to remove the EU flag from the Arc de Triomphe, a beautiful patriotic victory at the start of 2022.’
It is not the first time that Macron has exhibited an animus towards his people
Macron’s week got worse on Monday when, contrary to expectations, the French parliament refused to give their assent to his vaccine pass bill.
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