France's Political Crisis and Paris2024: Will Macron's Call for a Political Ceasefire Work? - Emre Güntekin

The 33rd Olympic Games held in Paris began with the opening ceremony held on Friday. It would be right to consider the Olympics together with both the political crisis France is facing and the ongoing genocide in Palestine this time. 

While Paris2024 provided a very effective platform for the French ruling classes’ -that fell into a political crisis especially with the rise of far right in the last elections- message to the world; the opening ceremony was full of reflections of this. At the opening ceremony in which French director and actor Thomas Jolly took on the artistic direction, especially the controversial performances of LGBT individuals and drag queens made the concern of covering up the rise of far-right very evident. 

Indeed, particularly the enactment of Leonardo DaVinci’s The Last Supper painting by drag queens made it possible for far right to be involved in the subject both in France and in international arena: First to jump in was MEP Marion Marechal, who is also Marine Le Pen’s niece. Marechal stated that the drag queen enactment of The Last Supper made Christians watching the Paris 2024 opening ceremony feel humiliated, and that it was not France but the left-wing minority open to all kinds of provocations that spoke out during the ceremony. Italy’s far-right Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini reacted by saying, “Opening the Olympics by insulting billions of Christians around the world was a really bad start, dear France.” Elon Musk, the world’s richest man who openly worked for Trump in the US elections, stated that the opening ceremony was extremely disrespectful towards Christians. In short, Macron administration calling for a short break from political conflicts before the opening of Olympic games, has created a goal worthy opportunity for the far right to create its own wind. 

Sabotages carried out on the morning of the opening ceremony on railway lines operated by the national railway company SCNF cast a shadow over the Macron administration’s efforts to prove that Paris is one of the safest cities in the world. Following the arson attacks, rail transport is expected to return to normal on Monday at the earliest. 

On the other hand, the Olympics also show from the starting of the opening ceremony, how much the French ruling class fears the masses. Paris, with the French police and reinforcements from countries such as England, Spain, Germany, South Korea and Qatar has been virtually occupied in a way that has never been seen before, except during wartime: 45,000 police, 10,000 soldiers and 22,000 private security guards will be on duty throughout the Olympic Games. In addition, while a flight ban was imposed over Paris during the opening ceremony; the use of drones was banned throughout the city against the risk of a possible attack, and it was decided that flying drones would be shot by snipers. While all metro stations and roads were closed, only those living in the area would be able to access the Seine River if they showed specially created QR codes.  One would have to be Pollyanna herself to think that all these measures were taken solely against possible terrorist attacks. Macron’s real fear is of the Olympics being scene to actions by the lower classes seething with anger towards him. That's why he called for a political ceasefire to all opposition forces during the Olympics. There will be no fights or conflicts so that his kind sir can rebuild his demolished popularity as a respected head of state. 

But this is not that easy. If it were easy and if he still had the slightest ability to convince the masses, he wouldn’t have to surround Paris with barriers as it was an open-air prison. After all, the contradictions that gripped France before the Olympics remain as they are. No one thinks that the country can reset its internal crisis with a spectacular Olympic organization, not even those who were once closest to Macron. Christophe Weissberg, a former MP for Macron’s Renaissance Party, reveals the hopelessness of the situation with the words, “We need a break… but this will not change anything. No one wants to give Macron a victory.” After the Olympics the country will return to its political crisis, uncertain of where it will evolve. 

The tolerance for the imperialist hypocrisy of Macron administration is also gradually decreasing. This goes for all imperialists paving the way for Zionist genocide. Those who did not hesitate to ban Russian teams and athletes from the tournament when Russia attempted to invade Ukraine, can stoop so low as to greet those responsible for the massacre of 40,000 Palestinians with standing ovations. 

On the other hand, while the trauma caused by the attack on Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics haunts them, special tactical units were assigned to protect the Israeli convoy. During the Israeli convoy’s passage through the Seine River, Palestinian slogans were frequently chanted by the audience. While the Macron administration openly supports Israel in its genocide against the Palestinian people; among the French laborers, opposition to Zionism is quite high and despite all the attacks of state’s security apparatus the people have not backed down from organizing solidarity protests with Palestine. Macron’s invitation to the Olympic opening ceremony of the genocidal Netanyahu has further increased the reactions. 

Israel has killed around 350 Palestinian athletes in attacks that have lasted for around 10 months. Some 50 sports facilities and stadiums have been destroyed. However, Macron administration and the International Olympic Committee emphasizing “respect for differences” at the opening ceremony, continue to ignore the genocide that is being carried out. Indeed, the Palestinian Olympic Committee’s request to disqualify Israel from the Olympics was rejected at lightning speed. 

For capitalism, it is not sports that are important; it is the monetary profit such organizations bring, the ideological blur they create. Paris reminded us of this once again. However, fortunately, the severed head of Queen Marie Antoinette was also among those reminded. Macron and his imitators with their numbered days in France’s politics should get this hint.