The march against antisemitism planned for Sunday in the French capital was meant to mark unity in the face of a surge of antisemitic offenses in France, reports Politico.
But instead it has spotlighted political divisions and turned into a quandary for President Emmanuel Macron.
After several days of hesitation, Macron said on Saturday that he would not be joining the rally but would be there “in heart and in spirit.”
“I’ve never been to a protest on any topic,” Macron said on the sidelines of Remembrance Day commemorations. “My role … is to take decisions, say the right words when needed and act.”
The French president had been under pressure to join the cross-party demonstration against antisemitism, and press reports indicated he was considering attending. But for Macron, that would have meant walking in the same crowd as far-right leader Marine Le Pen and National Rally President Jordan Bardella, both of whom have confirmed they would attend Sunday’s march.
The demonstration was initiated by the speakers of the two chambers of the French parliament, Yaël Braun-Pivet and Gérald Larcher, as a way to show support for the French Republic and to condemn antisemitism.
Read more of this report from Politico.
Read Mediapart's coverage of the story here.