Macron attacks the press as much as in government with this Elysian denial

POLICY – “Dearties is not worth a truth. »» The cloth burns again between the Élysée and the association of the presidential press, responsible for the follow -up of the Head of State. In question this time: the public questioning by the palace, Thursday, August 7, of an article of L’Opinionaccording to which “Emmanuel Macron criticizes a part of the Jewish community for forgetting his universalism”.

The article published on August 6 is the echo of the last council of ministers before the summer break. For the first time since Emmanuel Macron’s announcement of the recognition of the Palestine State, all the ministers are gathered at the same table. It was then that Manuel Valls expressed his fears: recognizing the state yes, but not without the prerequisites that the head of state had mentioned at first, before reviewing his plan.

According to L’Opinion“The nature of the links between Jewish citizens, Israel and its government gives rise to the most tense part of the exchange. »And our colleagues to continue: “As Manuel Valls said that all Jewish French do not recognize themselves in the policy of Benjamin Netanyahu, the head of state returns the argument to him. (…) In the name of the fight for universalism, we cannot essentialize Palestinians by saying that they are by definition of terrorists. “The history of the Jewish community is universalism,” says Emmanuel Macron. A participant in the Council of Ministers deciphers: “Sometimes there is a trend of a few, within the community, to go towards the most radical.” »»

« Fake news »

The article reacted the CRIF. “If the remarks of the President of the Republic in the Council of Ministers, reported in opinion, are proven, they constitute an unacceptable precedent (…) It is in no way up to the public power to tell the French Jews and Jewish institutions what their convictions or positions must be”is indignant at its president Yonathan Arfi Thursday August 7.

A few hours later, the Élysée denied virulently on X: “The President of the Republic has in no way” criticized the Jewish community for forgetting its universalism “. In the Council of Ministers, he once again recalled how the universalism is the best shield against summons and essentialization ”. Et de cingler: “On such complex subjects, it is the responsibility of all public officials not to disguise to divide”by sharing a screenshot of the article stamped « fake news ».

A message, two recipients. Participants in the Council of Ministers, of course, who leaned the exchange to journalists. And the anger of the presidency illustrates, once again, the distance between members of the Bayrou government and the Elysée. But above all, the Presidency of the Republic calls into question the journalistic work of L’Opinion. With a method that angered the association of the presidential press. “By diverting the codes of Fact-Checking, the Élysée attacks it directly on the rigor of journalists and creates confusion between political communication and information. Denial is not worth a truth. The app recalled that the press must be able to work and invest freely ”she in turn brings this August 8.

This is not the first time that the Élysée has been annoyed by leaks from the Council of Ministers. In the fall of 2024, Emmanuel Macron had publicly wondered against “The lack of professionalism of ministers, (…) journalists, (…) and commentators”. At the time already, the government was made up of personalities not all from the presidential camp. Again, the subject focused on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the comments lent to the president had also made CRIF jump. And there again, the association of the presidential press was indignant at the response of the Head of State. Ten months later, a few ministers, nothing has changed.