Government spokesman Olivier Véran regretted on Friday the stormy welcome promised by the unions to President Emmanuel Macron for the final of the French Football Cup on Saturday, transformed, according to him, by the CGT into "circus games à la Roman". "The final of the Coupe de France is not Roman-style circus games, it is not the CGT with its imperial thumb that could decide who to boo the President of the Republic, who to cut off the electricity during a match", estimated the minister on BFMTV and RMC, calling for "not to confuse everything".
Before this meeting which will oppose Nantes to Toulouse, the trade unions have planned to distribute red cards and whistles to the spectators of the Stade de France so that they show their rejection of the pension reform and their dissatisfaction with the head of state. Thursday, a voluntary power cut, claimed by the CGT, plunged into darkness and interrupted the Pro D2 match between Agen and Nevers for half an hour.
"I have no orders or advice to give to the CGT or anyone else in matters of unions, everyone does as they feel, I'm just saying that there are things that are not to be their place, noted Olivier Véran. I dare not imagine the reactions if we took advantage of a popular sporting event to pass on political messages. »
Emmanuel Macron will attend the meeting. “The Coupe de France final is a sporting, family and festive event that the President of the Republic has always attended. He will be there again this year, ”noted the Elysee.
But, according to a source familiar with the matter, he will not take to the pitch as usual. Information not confirmed by the presidency at this stage. "I don't know if the president will go down on the lawn or not [...] I honestly don't think this is the topic of the moment for people," retorted Olivier Véran.
The Head of State "will do what he wishes", commented on Europe 1 the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, who also mentioned the security "difficulties" of such a meeting: a possible "invasion of the field” or possible “clashes, particularly outside the stadium” between supporters. Some 3,000 police and gendarmes will be mobilized around the enclosure.
