Many French people breathed a sigh of relief when they learned the results of the second round of legislative elections on July 7. The results showed that there would be no National Rally government, which a third of French people wanted but the rest strongly rejected. Beyond the political aspects, there was another reason for relief.
There will be no far-right government in power when France welcomes the world to the 2024 Paris Olympics on July 26. What is certain is that, in this respect, everything is ready for the competition — infrastructure, security measures, the opening ceremony. Institutionally, the two most important figures remain the president of the republic and the mayor of Paris. Moreover, the organizing committee, headed by three-time Olympic gold medalist Tony Estanguet, is completely independent of the government.
But it would have seemed strange to many, both in France and abroad, that at a time when the Olympic Games celebrate universality and bring people together, there is a party in power that fights immigration and wants to attack the dual nationality of 3.5 million French people. The French, politicians and citizens alike, have been waiting for this moment for a long time, since Paris was chosen to host the 2017 Games following three failed bids once morest Barcelona, Beijing and London. Moreover, there was some hesitation before launching a new bid, following London won the honor of hosting the 2012 Games.
But the sports movement got to work and convinced the very reluctant mayor of Paris, while President François Hollande and his successor Emmanuel Macron were strong supporters of the bid. The project was planned by its creators and designed to have a specific and controllable cost (7 billion euros). Since most of the infrastructure was already in place, all that was needed was an Olympic village, which would be converted into apartments following the Games, and an Olympic swimming pool, all in the Seine-Saint-Denis department, which lacks housing and sports facilities. It is worth noting here that one of the goals regarding the legacy of these games is to leave infrastructure in this department, which is the poorest department in the Île-de-France region.
Paris’ most famous monuments – the Grand Palais, the Eiffel Tower, the Place de la Concorde and the Palace of Versailles – will also be used for some of the events. The organizers are betting on a grand opening ceremony outside the stadium, an unprecedented event during which the sports delegations will pass one following the other in a parade on the River Seine. The goal is to make the event dazzling in order to promote the capital and enhance its tourist appeal. As for the legacy of this edition, another challenge is to make France a sporting nation.
To this end, sport has been declared a major national issue for 2024, in order to show that, in addition to performance, sport should be taken care of on a daily basis for its benefits, both in terms of improving social relations and public health. The aim is for everyone to be able to exercise for 30 minutes a day, especially at school. The reality is that French society is torn. We have recently witnessed the rise of the extremist, who has become a structural political force. The Olympic Games should bring a smile back to France’s face, but they should also give it the feeling of being a nation that knows how to unite for a common goal: welcoming the world and supporting its athletes.
But will there be an Olympic truce, as the ancient Greek tradition dictates? The truth is that we must be realistic. If there is a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine or in Gaza, it will serve the strategic goals of the parties to the conflict and not respect the Olympic Charter, especially since Russia is in open conflict with the International Olympic Committee because of its exclusion as a country following the war in Ukraine.
Russian athletes can only participate as individuals, provided they have not expressed support for the war, which greatly reduces the number of Russians who will not be able to participate in the opening ceremony in the first place.
Vladimir Putin is trying to organize counter-games, but nothing can match the level and prestige of the Olympics. Some have called for Israel to be excluded as well, as Russia is. But the Westerners, who have been very active in excluding Russia, have not had the same mobilization once morest Israel, and the German president of the International Olympic Committee provides an additional element of protection for the Hebrew state.
*Director of the Institute of International and Strategic Relations in Paris
sfarsit articol
Many French people breathed a sigh of relief when they learned the results of the second round of legislative elections on July 7th. The results showed that there would be no National Rally government, which a third of French people wanted but the rest strongly rejected. Beyond the political aspects, there was another reason for relief.
There will be no far-right government in power when France welcomes the world to the 2024 Paris Olympics on July 26th. What is certain is that, in this respect, everything is ready for the competition — infrastructure, security measures, and the opening ceremony. Institutionally, the two most important figures remain the president of the republic and the mayor of Paris. Moreover, the organizing committee, headed by three-time Olympic gold medalist Tony Estanguet, is completely independent of the government.
But it would have seemed strange to many, both in France and abroad, that at a time when the Olympic Games celebrate universality and bring people together, there is a party in power that fights immigration and wants to attack the dual nationality of 3.5 million French people. The French, politicians and citizens alike, have been waiting for this moment for a long time since Paris was chosen to host the 2017 Games following three failed bids once morest Barcelona, Beijing, and London. Moreover, there was some hesitation before launching a new bid following London won the honor of hosting the 2012 Games.
But the sports movement got to work and convinced the very reluctant mayor of Paris, while President François Hollande and his successor Emmanuel Macron were strong supporters of the bid. The project was planned by its creators and designed to have a specific and controllable cost (7 billion euros). Since most of the infrastructure was already in place, all that was needed was an Olympic village, which would be converted into apartments following the Games, and an Olympic swimming pool, all in the Seine-Saint-Denis department, which lacks housing and sports facilities. It is worth noting here that one of the goals regarding the legacy of these games is to leave infrastructure in this department, which is the poorest department in the Île-de-France region.
Paris’ most famous monuments – the Grand Palais, the Eiffel Tower, the Place de la Concorde, and the Palace of Versailles – will also be used for some of the events. The organizers are betting on a grand opening ceremony outside the stadium, an unprecedented event during which the sports delegations will pass one following the other in a parade on the River Seine. The goal is to make the event dazzling in order to promote the capital and enhance its tourist appeal. As for the legacy of this edition, another challenge is to make France a sporting nation.
To this end, sport has been declared a major national issue for 2024, in order to show that, in addition to performance, sport should be taken care of on a daily basis for its benefits, both in terms of improving social relations and public health. The aim is for everyone to be able to exercise for 30 minutes a day, especially at school. The reality is that French society is torn. We have recently witnessed the rise of the extremist, who has become a structural political force. The Olympic Games should bring a smile back to France’s face, but they should also give it the feeling of being a nation that knows how to unite for a common goal: welcoming the world and supporting its athletes.
But will there be an Olympic truce as the ancient Greek tradition dictates? The truth is that we must be realistic. If there is a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine or in Gaza, it will serve the strategic goals of the parties to the conflict and not respect the Olympic Charter, especially since Russia is in open conflict with the International Olympic Committee because of its exclusion as a country following the war in Ukraine.
Russian athletes can only participate as individuals, provided they have not expressed support for the war, which greatly reduces the number of Russians who will not be able to participate in the opening ceremony in the first place.
Vladimir Putin is trying to organize counter-games, but nothing can match the level and prestige of the Olympics. Some have called for Israel to be excluded as well, as Russia is. But the Westerners, who have been very active in excluding Russia, have not had the same mobilization once morest Israel, and the German president of the International Olympic Committee provides an additional element of protection for the Hebrew state.
*Director of the Institute of International and Strategic Relations in Paris
Paris 2024 Olympics: A Celebration of Sport and Unity Amidst Global Tensions
Many French people breathed a sigh of relief when they learned the results of the second round of legislative elections on July 7. The results showed that there would be no National Rally government, which a third of French people wanted but the rest strongly rejected. Beyond the political aspects, there was another reason for relief.
There will be no far-right government in power when France welcomes the world to the 2024 Paris Olympics on July 26. What is certain is that, in this respect, everything is ready for the competition — infrastructure, security measures, the opening ceremony. Institutionally, the two most important figures remain the president of the republic and the mayor of Paris. Moreover, the organizing committee, headed by three-time Olympic gold medalist Tony Estanguet, is completely independent of the government.
A Symbol of Unity Amidst Political Tensions
But it would have seemed strange to many, both in France and abroad, that at a time when the Olympic Games celebrate universality and bring people together, there is a party in power that fights immigration and wants to attack the dual nationality of 3.5 million French people. The French, politicians and citizens alike, have been waiting for this moment for a long time, since Paris was chosen to host the 2017 Games following three failed bids once morest Barcelona, Beijing and London. Moreover, there was some hesitation before launching a new bid, following London won the honor of hosting the 2012 Games.
A Legacy of Infrastructure and Social Improvement
But the sports movement got to work and convinced the very reluctant mayor of Paris, while President François Hollande and his successor Emmanuel Macron were strong supporters of the bid. The project was planned by its creators and designed to have a specific and controllable cost (7 billion euros). Since most of the infrastructure was already in place, all that was needed was an Olympic village, which would be converted into apartments following the Games, and an Olympic swimming pool, all in the Seine-Saint-Denis department, which lacks housing and sports facilities. It is worth noting here that one of the goals regarding the legacy of these games is to leave infrastructure in this department, which is the poorest department in the Île-de-France region.
Paris’ most famous monuments – the Grand Palais, the Eiffel Tower, the Place de la Concorde and the Palace of Versailles – will also be used for some of the events. The organizers are betting on a grand opening ceremony outside the stadium, an unprecedented event during which the sports delegations will pass one following the other in a parade on the River Seine. The goal is to make the event dazzling in order to promote the capital and enhance its tourist appeal. As for the legacy of this edition, another challenge is to make France a sporting nation.
A Nationwide Initiative for Sports Participation
To this end, sport has been declared a major national issue for 2024, in order to show that, in addition to performance, sport should be taken care of on a daily basis for its benefits, both in terms of improving social relations and public health. The aim is for everyone to be able to exercise for 30 minutes a day, especially at school. The reality is that French society is torn. We have recently witnessed the rise of the extremist, who has become a structural political force. The Olympic Games should bring a smile back to France’s face, but they should also give it the feeling of being a nation that knows how to unite for a common goal: welcoming the world and supporting its athletes.
The Challenge of an Olympic Truce in a World at War
But will there be an Olympic truce, as the ancient Greek tradition dictates? The truth is that we must be realistic. If there is a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine or in Gaza, it will serve the strategic goals of the parties to the conflict and not respect the Olympic Charter, especially since Russia is in open conflict with the International Olympic Committee because of its exclusion as a country following the war in Ukraine.
Russian athletes can only participate as individuals, provided they have not expressed support for the war, which greatly reduces the number of Russians who will not be able to participate in the opening ceremony in the first place.
The Shadow of Conflict Casts on the Games
Vladimir Putin is trying to organize counter-games, but nothing can match the level and prestige of the Olympics. Some have called for Israel to be excluded as well, as Russia is. But the Westerners, who have been very active in excluding Russia, have not had the same mobilization once morest Israel, and the German president of the International Olympic Committee provides an additional element of protection for the Hebrew state.
*Director of the Institute of International and Strategic Relations in Paris