French President Emmanuel Macron had high hopes that the Paris Olympics would solidify his legacy. However, his unsuccessful gamble on a snap legislative election has left him politically weakened, casting a shadow over his moment on the world stage.
As he prepares to host more than 100 heads of state and tens of thousands of spectators for the opening ceremony along the Seine on Friday, Macron stands as a vulnerable leader – an unpopular president overseeing a caretaker government while managing the world’s largest sporting event amidst heightened security concerns.
“Macron anticipated welcoming the Games with grandeur,” said French historian Patrick Weil. “Now he’s seen as a lame duck.”
Strolling through the Olympic Village on Monday, Macron defended his decision to dissolve parliament, insisting the subsequent political instability would not overshadow the Games.
“It was my decision,” he said, referring to his choice to call the election before the Games. “There is no regret. On the contrary, we did what needed to be done before the Olympics. Now we can fully focus on the Games.”
In an attempt to stave off the crisis for a few weeks, he hinted he might not appoint a prime minister until after the Games. “There is a sort of truce,” he said.
The show must go on
Macron called the legislative vote after a significant defeat by the far-right National Rally (RN) in last month’s EU election, seeking clarity from the poll. Instead, French voters delivered a hung parliament with no bloc able to form a government, leaving Macron’s previous cabinet to handle day-to-day affairs in a caretaker role.
“The Olympics are a wonderful respite, an extraordinary moment, a brilliant showcase for our country,” said far-right lawmaker Julien Odoul. “But the hardships of our compatriots persist despite the Olympic Games. And this National Assembly is currently unable to provide solutions.”
Macron’s aides, Olympic officials, lawmakers, and public figures emphasized to Reuters that the event would proceed as planned, with years of security and logistics planning unaffected by the political turmoil. Nonetheless, some acknowledged that the political crisis would cast a shadow over the Games.
Socialist lawmaker Christine Pires-Beaune said Macron’s snap election had left many French people confused and frustrated. “We have never been in such a thick fog,” she said.
A year of renewal
This was not how it was supposed to unfold.
In his New Year’s Eve address last December, Macron spoke with pride and optimism about the coming year. “Hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games is a once-in-a-century opportunity,” he said. “2024 will be a year of determination, choices, and renewal.”
But over six months later, Macron’s hopes of rejuvenating his mandate have faded, and the political crisis triggered by his rapid election call has also dampened tourist enthusiasm for the Games.
Flight and hotel bookings to Paris during the Olympics have been lower than expected, with experts attributing this to high travel and accommodation costs, security concerns, and political instability.
The ongoing drama of the US election – which has included an assassination attempt on Republican candidate Donald Trump and President Joe Biden dropping out of the race – has also diverted attention from Macron’s flagship event.
At the Olympic Village on Monday, Macron greeted volunteers with a confident smile. “We are ready,” he told police officers before thanking the Olympic Village staff for their efforts.
French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera acknowledged the recent political challenges. However, she dismissed the idea that the crisis had tainted the Games, expressing relief that the far-right had not secured enough seats to form a government, as some polls had predicted.
“I believe the Games will unite the country more than ever this summer,” she told Reuters.
Arielle Dombasle, a US-born French singer and actor, recently ignited social media with her performance of an operatic Olympic song at Paris City Hall, dressed in a white, floor-length skirt and peroxide wig.
“There is significant criticism of the Olympics among the French, despite being an astonishing international gathering of extraordinary human feats,” she said. “There is an atmosphere of anxiety. The world is in turmoil, to say the least. But these Games present an opportunity for the greatest celebrations.”
