Crisis Over Police Killing Weakens Macron’s Leadership in France

Even in normal circumstances, Emmanuel Macron relied on the support of allies to govern France effectively. He collaborated with the traditional right on certain issues, while the center-left helped him achieve other goals. However, Macron faced a monumental challenge unlike any other French leader in the past two decades. He had to persuade politicians from across the country’s National Assembly to support even minor domestic projects.

Now, Macron’s ability to govern his already-polarized nation has become nearly impossible due to an incident involving a suburban police officer. The officer stopped a yellow Class A Mercedes and fired a fatal shot into the chest of the 17-year-old driver, triggering six days of unrest throughout the country.

OTHER NEWS

• The grandmother of the French teen killed by the police officer pleads with rioters to stop the violence.
• The slain teen is laid to rest in France as 45,000 police officers are deployed, and the fifth night of unrest is relatively quieter.
• Youths clash with French police and engage in looting during the fourth night of riots sparked by the fatal police shooting.
• French police and protesters clash after Macron describes the police shooting of the teen as “inexcusable.”

Macron’s centrist Renaissance party and its close allies held only 251 seats out of 577 in the National Assembly after his re-election with 58% of the votes in a runoff against far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

Despite the narrow victory, Macron pursued ambitious goals. He aimed to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64, which required pushing the measure through parliament. He also hoped to revitalize French industry, improve working conditions, and finalize a new immigration bill. On the international stage, Macron advocated for European sovereignty and independence in various fields, including the economy, energy, and defense.

However, all these plans had to be put aside.

Macron had to cut short a visit to a European summit in Brussels last week for a crisis meeting with his government. This week, he canceled a last-minute trip to Germany meant to demonstrate the strength of the bilateral friendship, despite disagreements on energy, defense, and the economy.

These changes in Macron’s agenda resemble a previous uncomfortable situation he faced three months ago when King Charles III’s planned state visit to France was postponed due to violent protests against pension changes.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed concern over the situation in France, hoping that Macron would find swift solutions. He stated, “I don’t expect France to become unstable, even if the images are certainly disheartening,” in an interview with ARD television.

The U.S., the UK, and China advised their citizens to exercise caution when traveling to France.

Last month, after a climate summit, Kenya’s President William Ruto praised Macron’s deep involvement, stating, “You have run this like Kenyans do… like a marathon.”

The question now for Macron is whether he can muster enough resilience to confront the domestic political situation.

“The problem is that he still has four more years ahead,” said Luc Rouban, a senior researcher at the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS).

Rouban pointed out that Macron has faced a series of protests and street unrest since the yellow vest movement erupted in 2018, focusing on social injustice. An increasing segment of the population “rejects institutions” as part of a broader criticism of “a hypocritical social order, rife with inequalities, where schools no longer offer equal opportunities,” Rouban explained.

Schools, city halls, police stations, and other public institutions have come under attack.

According to Rouban, Macron’s options are limited to distributing subsidies due to France’s heavy debt burden, which also poses challenges.

Last month, Macron hosted a global summit on climate and finance in the French capital, gathering over 50 heads of state, government leaders, and international organization representatives, highlighting his international leadership.

Recently, Macron visited Marseille to promote government efforts to invest billions in schools, housing, security, and improve the lives of residents in low-income neighborhoods of France’s second-largest city.

On Tuesday, Macron is set to meet with the mayors of over 220 towns and cities affected by recent incidents and damages at the presidential palace.

Luc Rouban noted that Marine Le Pen appears to be emerging from the situation in a stronger position. She continues to position herself as the main political opposition to Macron while working to reshape the image of her far-right National Rally party.

“These appalling events bring our leaders back to reality,” Le Pen stated in a video posted on social media last week. “I intend to maintain our conduct, which is to neither prevent nor challenge the actions of the legitimate authorities responsible for public order.”

Meanwhile, workers were preparing for Bastille Day festivities on Paris’ Champs-Elysées, setting up seating and barriers for the traditional military parade scheduled for July 14th, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the guest of honor.

Another significant deadline is looming: next year’s Olympics in Paris, its suburbs, and other French cities. Organizers and authorities assure that the Games will be conducted safely.

AP Writers Geir Moulson in Berlin and Christopher Bodeen in Beijing contributed to this report.

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