Paris, December 21, 2024 – The Europe Today: French President Emmanuel Macron is facing criticism at home after a contentious exchange with residents during his visit to Mayotte, the cyclone-ravaged French overseas territory in the Indian Ocean. Macron’s visit, extended into Friday to assess the aftermath of Cyclone Chido, has drawn flak for his choice of words while addressing local frustrations.
Cyclone Chido, which made landfall on Saturday, has caused widespread devastation, with an official death toll of 35, though observers fear the actual number of fatalities could be significantly higher. Macron’s trip aimed to show solidarity with Mayotte, France’s poorest overseas territory, where many residents feel abandoned by the central government.
On Thursday evening, as Macron toured the affected region, angry residents confronted him over delays in aid distribution. One resident shouted, “Seven days and you are not able to get the people water!” Macron responded sharply, saying, “Don’t pit people against each other. If you set people against each other, we’re screwed.”
In an unguarded moment, Macron added, “You’re lucky to be in France. If it wasn’t for France, you’d be in even deeper trouble… 10,000 times deeper… There is no place in the Indian Ocean where people get more help.”
Political Fallout and Criticism
Macron’s remarks have sparked widespread criticism across the French political spectrum. The far-left labeled his comments as “completely undignified,” the Socialists called them “unpresidential,” and the Greens deemed them “arrogant.” Meanwhile, the far-right National Rally (RN) attributed growing dissatisfaction to Macron’s tone and language, which they said reflected his disregard for struggling citizens.
Macron Pushes Back
On Friday, Macron defended his remarks, attributing the heckling to militant RN supporters whose influence has been rising in Mayotte due to increasing concerns over illegal immigration.
“I hear the narrative fueling the National Rally and some of the people who were insulting us yesterday, namely that ‘France is doing nothing,’” Macron told local reporters.
Acknowledging the frustration of residents eager for faster aid, Macron emphasized the government’s ongoing efforts to alleviate the crisis. He urged unity and dismissed divisive rhetoric, saying, “The cyclone wasn’t decided by the government. France is doing a lot. We must be more efficient, but divisive, rabble-rousing speeches won’t help.”
The visit underscores the mounting challenges Macron faces both domestically and in France’s overseas territories as he contends with political headwinds in the National Assembly and rising discontent among the French populace.