French Opposition Calls for No-Confidence Vote Against Macron's Government

The conservative party opposing the French government announced on Tuesday that it is calling for a no-confidence vote against the government due to the scandal involving Emmanuel Macron's bodyguard, whose video of beating protesters was released in May. According to Reuters, on Monday, the French Ministry of the Interior and police stated that the presidential office had refused to hand over this bodyguard to judicial authorities in May, claiming it would handle the matter internally. Gérard Collomb, the French Minister of the Interior, said in a parliamentary Q&A session that the presidential office assured him on May 2 that the bodyguard would be punished, which is why the Ministry of the Interior did not intervene. The head of the Paris police also made similar statements. However, reports indicate that the presidential office has taken no action in this regard. Christian Jacob, head of the Republican party faction in the National Assembly, told reporters on Tuesday: 'The government has not fulfilled its duty and must be accountable to Parliament.' Macron's party holds a majority in Parliament, and it is unlikely that the no-confidence vote will lead to the downfall of his government. In the coming week, several French officials are expected to present a report regarding Alexandre Benalla, Macron's bodyguard, in the French Parliament. Benalla has been in custody since Sunday. In a video released of Alexandre Benalla, he is seen forcibly removing a woman from a protest line and then beating a male protester on May 1. It is noted that Benalla was on leave on May 1 and had gone to the protest site as an observer alongside police forces, but in the video, he is seen wearing a helmet and the police insignia is visible on his clothing. The French president, who dismissed Alexandre Benalla on Friday, has not made any comments since the scandal became public. Critics say that Macron has gradually distanced himself from ordinary French citizens since winning the presidential election, and the presidential office's decision not to hand over the offending bodyguard to judicial authorities is a reflection of this distance. According to a poll released on Tuesday, which is the first survey after this scandal, Macron's approval rating has dropped by 4 percent compared to last month, reaching 32 percent. This is the lowest approval rating for him since September 2017.