Emmanuel Macron faced the nation to accepted blame over a scandal that saw his bodyguard assault protests at a May Day rally in the latest twist in a saga that has damaged the French president’s standing.
Some two months after the assault by close aide Alexandra Benalla, Mr Macron said it was his fault because he trusted his former bodyguard.
The controversy arose after Mr Benalla attacked two protestors in May, was suspended for two weeks but then returned to work soon after. It was only after an investigation by French daily Le Monde, that published video footage of him assaulting protestors, was the case reignited and he was fired.
“An exemplary republic doesn’t mean making no mistakes. Nobody around me or in my cabinet has ever been protected or exonerated from the rules. Never. If anyone is looking for who is responsible, it’s me and me alone. I’m the one who trusted Alexandre Banalla,” said Mr Macron.
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The President is under scrutiny as to why he did not report his former bodyguards actions to the police. The assaults by Benalla and another member of Macron’s governing party En Marche party are the subject of four separate investigations. They are two by parliamentary committees, a criminal investigation and a police investigation. Another three high-ranking police officers were also indicted on Sunday after allegedly passing CCTV images of the assaults to Benalla.
As a result, Mr Macron’s approval ratings have sunk to a record low. In parliament he insisted he had done nothing wrong.
Still, Mr Macron uttered a defiant tone telling supporters “They can come and get me. I will answer to the French people,” amid a crisis that detractors have described as the worst since he came to power 14 months ago.
In a 30-minute address Mr Macron told his MP’s that, “An exemplary republic doesn’t mean making no mistakes. Nobody around me or in my cabinet has ever been protected or exonerated from the rules. Never.”
The president still made time for jokes and defecting from Mr Banalla’s importance, saying: “Alexandre Banalla has never had the nuclear codes. Alexandre Banalla is not my lover.”
Mr Macron said the actions of his former aide were shocking and unacceptable, while also admitting Mr Banalla played an important role in the presidential campaign.
Opposition party Les Republicans accused Mr Macron of only explaining himself in the company of followers, rather than the French people.
During May Day Far-left anarchist groups, known as Black Blocs, hijacked a peaceful rally against President Emmanuel Macron's public sector labour reforms.
Police said about 1,200 masked and hooded protesters attended the annual 1 May demonstration by labour unions.
