At the start of 2022, stopping controversy does not seem to be on the list of good resolutions from the political class.
To celebrate the fact that France takes the rotating presidency of the European Union from January 1 - which only happens every 13 years in the Europe of 27 - the blue flag covered with a circle of 12 golden stars was installed under the Arc de Triomphe.
Read also French Presidency of the EU: controversial timing
It was also displayed on the facade of the Elysee and the Eiffel Tower, this December 31 in the evening, at the end of the wishes of Emmanuel Macron.
Wishes 2022 to the French.
https://t.co/ZdkEJjxigj
- Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) December 31, 2021
Something to displease a part of the political class.
The candidate of the RN, Marine Le Pen, saw in the images which concluded the speech of the Head of State the "crying symbol that the alleged attachment of Emmanuel Macron to France is a lie".
"Outrage", "shame"
Valérie Pécresse and Éric Zemmour, for their part, denounced the presence of the only European flag under the Arc de Triomphe.
“To preside over Europe yes, to erase the French identity no!
", The candidate LR was annoyed on Twitter, asking" solemnly "the President of the Republic" to restore our tricolor next to that of Europe under the Arc de Triomphe ".
"We owe it to all our fighters who shed their blood for him," she said.
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
The polemicist now presidential candidate for his part simply commented, under a photo of the monument: "after the looting and packaging, the outrage", referring here on the one hand to the degradation of the Arc de Triomphe by of the Gilets Jaunes in 2018 and then to the work of the artist Christo.
The Arc de Triomphe under Macron: after the sacking and packaging, the outrage.
pic.twitter.com/0fLIOBSdO6
- Eric Zemmour (@ZemmourEric) December 31, 2021
Other political figures, mainly from the National Rally, also spoke on Twitter.
This is the case of the mayor of Fréjus David Rachline, who denounced "a real shame", but also of the MEP and adviser to Marine Le Pen, Philippe Olivier, who asked that "the country" be returned "to French ".
“The European flag on the tomb of the Unknown Soldier is an outrage: the Unknown Soldier did not die for this thing that is the European Union, but for his homeland, France!
“, For his part estimated Gilbert Collard.