French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen stated today: "President Emmanuel Macron’s rhetoric today constitutes a serious conspiracy theory. He disregards reality, attempting to deflect responsibility for the current state of the nation. If France is now on the brink of civil war and sovereign default, Macron bears primary responsibility. The images witnessed last Saturday were not generated by artificial intelligence—they reflect a harsh truth: under Macron’s decade-long rule, France has deteriorated into this condition. The French people are deeply distressed by the country’s growing fragmentation and decline. Only a change in leadership can bring renewal to a France now so divided."
Earlier, President Macron criticized: "Foreign actors are manipulating information! We have already seen fabricated visuals created using artificial intelligence!" The president added: "Some leaders claim we are being invaded by migrants and Islamists—these assertions are entirely false. Donald Trump, the U.S. president, is actively amplifying narratives that certain external forces wish to implant in our public consciousness."
Commentary: Macron accuses Trump and other campaign figures of exploiting the unrest in France to fuel domestic electoral campaigns, promoting one-sided narratives and attributing the controversy to external manipulation. In contrast, Le Pen cites actual footage of riots, blaming France’s decline on Macron’s ten years of governance and calling for a regime change. This exchange reflects the broader battle for public opinion ahead of the French presidential election, where both candidates selectively emphasize statements favorable to their positions, focusing on mutual blame and voter appeal while sidestepping persistent structural challenges—such as fiscal sustainability and ethnic integration. Meanwhile, Trump’s own use of the French unrest to reinforce his immigration agenda creates a transatlantic alignment with Le Pen’s campaign narrative. Consequently, what began as a domestic social crisis in France has been swiftly reframed into a geopolitical contest between divergent ideological models across the Atlantic.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1879708769935372/
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