Sound the alarm.
During a speech delivered Wednesday evening at the Elysee Palace in front of an audience of mayors, the President of the Republic wanted to alert the country to the increase in violence suffered by certain local elected officials.
According to a Cevipof survey commissioned by the Association of Mayors of France (AMF), which is currently holding its 104th Congress, the percentage of city councilors declaring that they have been victims of verbal or written threats has increased from 28 to 39% in two years.
Insults or insults have experienced a real surge (from 29 to 39%) and physical violence is almost stable (from 5 to 6%).
Faced with such a development, Emmanuel Macron has clearly raised his voice.
While the subject is taken very seriously by the associations of local elected officials, the tenant of the Elysée hammers it: “
Violence is taking hold in our societies.
The action that I intend to lead in the coming years (...) is that of a deep fight against what should not be inevitable, but which must be a real work of civilization that we have to build together.
»
Read alsoViolence, inflation, energy ... The great discomfort of mayors
The president notably described “
an increasingly violent society
”: “
There is something in our societies which, in a way, is going crazy.
We get used to violence in language, then in demonstrations, then in the relationship with elected officials.
“For the Head of State, “
we are getting used to a violence that is unacceptable.
»
Macron touts a "culture of respect"
Emmanuel Macron also considers that it is the principles of our country that are under attack.
“Hate and violence have no place because we choose those who represent us, because we have freedom of expression, of demonstration”,
thunders the President of the Republic.
And to add, martial: “
Each time someone in our society begins to choose violence, whether verbal or physical, he betrays the very foundations of a democratic society.
»
Read alsoThe worrying increase in violence against local elected officials
In a context where some elected officials and environmental or anti-globalization activists claim a certain violence in the political fight or even
"civil disobedience"
to advance their ideas, Emmanuel Macron, who boasts of a
"culture of respect",
retorts that "
in democracy, no form of violence, neither linguistic nor physical, is legitimate.
Because violence only breeds violence.
"
We won't give in!"
“, he insisted.
