The European flag, which flew under the Arc de Triomphe for the start of the French presidency of the EU, was withdrawn overnight from Saturday to Sunday in accordance with the initial program, the Élysée told AFP while the extreme right claimed a “patriotic victory”.
“The European flag was removed overnight, in accordance with the planned timing,” said the Elysee, adding that it was expected that it “remains in the wind on December 31 and January 1 to mark the kick-off symbolically of the PFUE, as well as the blue illumination of several monuments “in France.
But Marine Le Pen hailed “a great patriotic victory”, believing that “the government (had) been obliged to withdraw the flag of the European Union from the Arc de Triomphe”. “Thank you to the massive mobilization of all lovers of France and the Republic to roll back Emmanuel Macron,” insisted the candidate of the National Rally on Twitter.
The day before, she had announced that she would file “in the coming days” an appeal before the Council of State, accompanied by a request “for suspension, in summary” of this “real attack on the identity of our Fatherland” . The other far-right candidate, Eric Zemmour, but also the LR candidate Valérie Pécresse had also criticized the installation of the EU flag, less than 100 days before the presidential election.
Ms. Pécresse’s unfortunate opponent in the right-wing primaries, Eric Ciotti, called Emmanuel Macron a “uprooted president” who “does not like France”. “Putting only the European flag on the tomb of the unknown soldier” was “a mistake”, he insisted on RTL / LCI / Le Figaro.
At midday, Secretary of State for European Affairs Clément Beaune reacted forcefully, even accusing the opposition of lies and denying any “retreat”.
“We have never removed the French flag. The large bulwark is used for major ceremonies, all by itself. The European flag has been installed where there was nothing,” he explained during the broadcast. “Political Questions” from France Inter, France TV and Le Monde.
The government “has no lesson in patriotism to receive from Ms. le Pen, Mr. Zemmour or Ms. Pécresse, who becomes a photocopier of the extreme right,” added Clément Beaune.
Asked if the executive had accelerated the movement in the face of criticism, a government source assured AFP on Sunday that it had “nothing to do” and that it was planned from the start that the European flag be installed only for December 31st and January 1st.
Clément Beaune assigned the flag collection schedule to the organization of the teams from the Center des Bâtiment Nationals. “There was no retreat, no change,” he said. “We are coherent, we take responsibility for Europe, that does not detract from the French identity”.
For their part, dozens of monuments illuminated in blue, including the Eiffel Tower and the Elysée Palace, will remain so for seven days.
