In 2023, France faced challenges such as protests against a controversial pension reform, racial riots, mass migration, conflicts abroad, and the expulsion of French colonial troops from Africa. Despite these difficulties, President Emmanuel Macron aimed to uplift the nation’s spirits in a New Year TV address. Macron expressed optimism for 2024, emphasizing French pride and hope linked to the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games and the reopening of Notre Dame after a devastating fire in 2019. While deploying 90,000 police and 5,000 soldiers to counter a ‘very high’ terrorist threat, over 800,000 people celebrated the New Year on Champs Elysees with an Olympics-themed party.
However, security challenges persisted, with 380 arrests, a 10% decrease from the previous year, and 745 vehicle fires, a 10% reduction. The Interior Minister, Gerald Darmanin, noted a drop in car burnings during celebrations, but the normalization of widespread vandalism raised concerns. Despite the administration’s portrayal of reduced incidents, critics argue that over 700 vehicles destroyed in a single night is not acceptable, highlighting dissatisfaction with Macron’s leadership.
