Opposition critics at the time of Macron’s trip: Olivia Grégoire believes that “election time is not necessarily universal time”
Emmanuel Macron barely had time to set foot on Ukrainian soil when opposition reactions are going well. Three days before the second round of parliamentary elections, several figures from across the political landscape on Thursday questioned the “timing” of his surprise visit to Kyiv, as well as the President of the Republic’s communications about the trip.
Marine Le Pen, who was reticent in her speeches about the war in Ukraine, first stressed at the France Inter microphone that “it is perfectly legitimate for Emmanuel Macron to go to Kyiv”. “What is perhaps more questionable (…) is the fact of going there three days before a general election,” added the outgoing MP for Pas-de-Calais. For the former presidential candidate, “Emmanuel Macron never does anything without having a campaign-related ulterior motive. Emmanuel Macron is using this warlord attitude to influence the parliamentary elections. »
For his part, Alexis Corbière, the figurehead of La France insoumise and Nupes, also questioned the sincerity of the “timing” of the trip: “We are forty-eight hours or three days before a crucial vote, I wonder if it’s the Ukrainian people he is.” wants to help, or his own team and party that is having problems. (…) I hope that the Ukrainian people will not be used for questions of French internal politics. »
Questioned by BFM-TV this Thursday afternoon, government spokeswoman Olivia Grégoire tried to defend “the timing” of this trip, considering that we “need to keep a little altitude in Ukrainian in these difficult times”. “One should not confuse everything,” she warns. I hear Ms Le Pen, who thinks the accession process (of Ukraine to the European Union) is far too early, and Mr Mélenchon, who is shouting. But please, today we have a people who are suffering, we have a Ukraine at war, we have a France committed at the heart of Europe to support the Europe that supports Ukraine. »
For Ms Grégoire, “election time is not necessarily universal time”. “The world keeps turning. The President of the Republic has a mission as Chief of the Armed Forces with his troops and as President of the European Union until the end of June,” she defended.