Macron implicitly accuses Trump of exploiting violence in France

French President Emmanuel Macron criticised leaders who, he said, were exploiting violence in France for electoral purposes, implicitly targeting Donald Trump. He spoke on Wednesday during a visit to Qatar, as the French government faced further announced demonstrations, Vanguard reports.

French President Emmanuel Macron denounced on Wednesday 21 October in Doha leaders who, he said, were exploiting violence in France for political purposes, implicitly targeting US President Donald Trump. “There are people who campaign at France’s expense,” he told reporters, without naming any leader, Vanguard reports.

Donald Trump has linked the violence to immigration and jihadists in his political interventions in the United States. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also said France had been hit by an “invasion of extremist Islam”, according to Vanguard. The situation comes six months before France’s presidential election, while demonstrations against the cost of living are planned for Saturday.

The violence erupted the previous weekend, after four weeks of student protests and a national demonstration against the high cost of living that drew more than 500,000 people. Authorities in Paris and other cities imposed night-time curfews on Monday and Tuesday in areas at risk of unrest; the Paris curfew was due to be renewed on Wednesday evening, according to police.

Macron’s remarks follow his condemnation of foreign comments on the violence in France, published on 21 October. They also came during his tour of Qatar, which he defended despite the violence, according to an article published on 22 October.