It was a few square centimeters of fabric that sparked a controversy. Or rather their absence. To celebrate the French presidency of the European Union, which begins on January 1, the Elysee has temporarily removed the tricolor from the Arc de Triomphe, below which it normally appears, to replace it with the European flag. Only the flag of the 27 has been floating like this since Friday, December 31.
>> The article to read to know everything about the French Presidency of the EU
During the last French presidency of the EU, in 2008, the Elysee Palace decided that the two flags, French and European, would fly together under the monument throughout the period.
Other celebrations took place on Friday, such as the blue illumination of many French monuments such as the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Capitol in Toulouse. At the time of his Wishes to the French, Friday evening, Emmanuel Macron also insisted on the strength of the European Union. “Notre Europe is the only way by which France will be stronger in the face of the clashes of the world and the great powers”, he notably launched.
Insensitive to the gesture, the far right and part of the right strongly condemned the temporary disappearance of the French flag under the Arc de Triomphe. The candidate of the National Rally (RN) in the presidential election, Marine Le Pen, announced on Saturday, in a press release, that she was going to drop off “in the next few days” an appeal to the Council of State to challenge the decision to fly the flag of Europe under the Arc de Triomphe, accompanied by a request “suspension, in summary”.
She said to herself “outraged” by this “provocation” who, according to her, “offends those who fought for France”, since the two flags fly above the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
I am outraged that the French flag has been replaced by that of the European Union under the Arc de Triomphe, above the tomb of the unknown soldier.
This provocation offends those who fought for France. I ask E. Macron to restore our national flag. pic.twitter.com/sR2IfjV3sG
– Marine Le Pen (@MLP_officiel) December 31, 2021
His far-right competitor Eric Zemmour then deplored a “contempt”.
The Arc de Triomphe under Macron: after the sacking and packaging, the outrage. pic.twitter.com/0fLIOBSdO6
– Eric Zemmour (@ZemmourEric) December 31, 2021
Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, also a presidential candidate, for his part considered that Emmanuel Macron was a “profaner”.
“Tonight, the European flag flies under the Arc de Triomphe instead of the French flag! Emmanuel Macron is a profaner who tramples on our national colors! I will never forgive him for that! “
– N. Dupont-Aignan (@dupontaignan) December 31, 2021
It was then the Republican candidate, Valérie Pécresse, who reacted. “Presiding over Europe, yes, erasing the French identity, no!”, she tweeted.
Presiding over Europe yes, erasing French identity no! I solemnly ask Emmanuel Macron to restore our tricolor flag next to that of Europe under the Arc de Triomphe. We owe it to all our fighters who shed their blood for him. pic.twitter.com/4tQAGwZKmg
– Valérie Pécresse (@vpecresse) December 31, 2021
“Let’s be clear: the flag of the European Union did not ‘replace’ the flag of France, which is only displayed for ceremonies”, tweeted the Secretary of State for European Affairs, Clément Beaune, faced with the controversy. “In 2008, Nicolas Sarkozy organized a ceremony to rekindle the flame with the European commissioners (strong gesture …), hence the presence of the two flags”, he recalled. This device is “in place for a few days” he said earlier on BFMTV. “The French flag will obviously be reinstalled afterwards, without the European flag.”