Paris Officially, the federal government continues to expect that Emmanuel Macron will be the first French President to pay a state visit to Germany in more than 20 years from Sunday to Tuesday. Last but not least, the trip to Baden-Württemberg, Berlin and Saxony was intended to show how close the ties between the two neighboring countries are despite the recent differences of opinion. Macron has been to Germany several times, but so far without all the official honors of a state visit.
However, the domestic political situation in France could force the President to cancel at short notice. After the death of a youth in a police operation in a Paris suburb, several cities have been shaken by serious riots in recent nights. French government circles did not rule out a postponement on Friday. The decision should be made by Saturday at the latest.
In any case, it is currently difficult to imagine that Macron is dining at a state banquet in Bellevue Palace while the suburbs are burning in his own country. When protests against Macron’s pension reform escalated in March, the Élysée Palace postponed a state visit by British King Charles III at short notice. in France – out of concern what signal a pompous appearance could send into an explosive situation.
The unrest was triggered by the death of a young person of North African descent during a police operation: The 17-year-old Nahel was stopped at the wheel of a car during a check on Tuesday. Video shows a police officer aiming his gun at the driver and pulling the trigger as the vehicle suddenly accelerates. The official is in custody, the public prosecutor is investigating on suspicion of manslaughter.
In the nights that followed, the situation in the greater Paris area and in other cities in the country got increasingly out of control: rioters set cars and garbage cans on fire, and they also set fires to police stations and town halls. The law enforcement officers fought street battles with mostly young demonstrators, some of whom also vandalized and looted shops.
The French President holds the parents of the mostly young rioters responsible.
(Photo: dpa)
40,000 police officers were deployed nationwide. Hundreds of people were arrested on Thursday night alone. The authorities are concerned that the riots will continue to escalate over the weekend.
Local public transport was restricted in several cities on Friday evening. In the greater Paris area, the traditional festivals at the end of the school year were canceled.
Macron’s government consults at crisis meeting
French Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne did not rule out imposing a state of emergency to restore “republican order throughout the territory”. The French government met for an emergency meeting on Friday afternoon.
Macron left the EU summit in Brussels prematurely. The President had described Nahel’s death as “unexplainable and unapologetic”, but also expressed his determination to take action against the violence in the streets.
A 17-year-old driver was shot dead during a police check in the Paris suburb of Nanterre.
(Photo: dpa)
After the meeting, Macron addressed the parents of the young protesters. A third of those arrested last night were youths, the president said. “I appeal to the sense of responsibility of mothers and fathers. The Republic is not called to take their place.”
In Berlin, government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said: “Of course, we are concerned at the moment about what is happening in France.” The federal government therefore had no information on a possible cancellation of Macron’s state visit.
According to the official program, Macron and his wife Brigitte are expected in Ludwigsburg near Stuttgart on Sunday evening. Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier wanted to receive state guests with military honors on Monday morning in front of the city’s residential palace.
After a deadly police check: unrest in France spreads
In 1962, then-President Charles de Gaulle gave his historic “Speech to the Young” in the main courtyard of the castle, which paved the way for the Élysée Treaty on Franco-German friendship the following year. An event was also planned in Ludwigsburg to lay the foundation for Franco-German cooperation in the promotion and regulation of artificial intelligence.
Decision on state visit probably on Saturday
Steinmeier and Macron then wanted to meet young people from Germany, France and Ukraine in Berlin. A state banquet was planned for Bellevue Palace on Monday evening. On Tuesday morning, the Federal President and his state guest wanted to continue by train to Dresden.
A visit to the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems was on the program in the Saxon state capital. The highlight of the state visit was a speech by Macron on Franco-German cooperation and its importance for Europe.
But it was unclear on Friday afternoon whether the process would actually take place that way. Apparently, the Élysée Palace wants to give itself a decision on a possible postponement until Saturday to wait and see how the night goes in the French cities.
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