French President Emmanuel Macron decided this Saturday to postpone his three-day state visit to Germany, which was scheduled to begin this Sunday and end next Tuesday, as a result of the serious riots that have been taking place since last Tuesday night after the death of a 17-year-old boy shot by a police officer in Nanterre, a western suburb of Paris.
In a statement, the Élysée announced that the decision was adopted after Macron held a conversation with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier this Saturday. “Given the internal situation, the President of the Republic (Macron) has indicated that he wanted to be able to stay in France for the next few days. The two presidents have therefore agreed to postpone the visit to Germany to a later date,” said the sources in a brief statement.
It is already the second time in a few months that public disorder has forced Macron to postpone a relevant diplomatic appointment. In March, the first visit of the new King of England, Charles III, had to be canceled due to demonstrations against the pension reform. The British monarch had chosen France for his first official trip abroad since he succeeded his mother, Elizabeth II. It was an embarrassing situation for Paris, though an unavoidable one. Charles III did visit Germany. The King of England could finally make the trip to France in September.
The drastic decision to change the agenda, no less than with France’s main partner in the European Union, shows the concern with which the Elysée is experiencing the current crisis. Macron’s stay in Paris is an indication that more far-reaching measures could be taken to stop the revolt. Although the Government is reluctant to declare a state of emergency, circumstances could force it to review this position.
