French President Emmanuel Macron has refused to accept blame for the national riots that erupted in France, instead shifting the blame to far-left groups and external forces. In an address to the nation, Macron pointed to "extremists from far-left groups" and "criminals" as being responsible for the violence, but failed to acknowledge the role of mass migration in creating social unrest.
What happened
Macron's government has been criticized for failing to foresee or prevent the riots, which resulted in historic buildings being torched, thousands of shops being looted, and hundreds of police officers and firefighters being injured. The president questioned how French people could engage in such violence, asking "How can French people do this to France?"
Macron claimed that a distinction should be made between legitimate protesters and those who engaged in violence and looting. He acknowledged the concerns of protesters over the cost of living and fuel price hikes, but attributed the European energy crisis to the conflict between the US and Iran. The president announced that he would travel to the Gulf countries to secure France's fuel and gas supplies.
Macron's address was criticized by other politicians, including National Rally leader Marine Le Pen, who rejected the notion of collective guilt for the French people. Le Pen's deputy, Jordan Bardella, described Macron's speech as "lamentable", while fellow presidential candidate Éric Zemmour said that Macron's words were empty and that the president had failed to address the root causes of the unrest.
