Éric Zemmour is in Ivory Coast. Surprise trip by the far-right candidate who met French expatriates in Abidjan. He also visited the French forces present in the country. But if the Ministry of the Armed Forces had given its agreement, Mr. Zemmour did not respect the rules set in advance and was slapped on the fingers.
It’s a discreet stay, which finally gets people talking. Arrived Wednesday evening in Abidjan, the far-right French presidential candidate visited the French soldiers in Côte d’Ivoire this Thursday, a way for him to demonstrate his support for the army.
Éric Zemmour wanted to do a blow: to appear alongside the French soldiers in external operation for Christmas Eve, while Emmanuel Macron, him, had to cancel a trip to the troops in Mali because of the Covid, as recalled Julien chavanne, from the political service of RFI.
The Ministry of the Armed Forces had given the green light, as it did for other presidential candidates: the Insoumis-Jean-Luc Mélenchon was able to visit a military base in Guyana, ditto for the socialist Anne Hidalgo in Brest … For this electoral campaign, everyone thus has the authorization to visit the French soldiers in the theater they wish. But on condition that you do it with complete discretion.
Problem: Eric Zemmour could not help but communicate, at the end of the morning, on his visit to the French soldiers in Côte d’Ivoire. A press release, and several photos on Twitter.
I am honored to have visited the logistics base of Operation BARKHANE today, in Côte d’Ivoire with my campaign director, General Bertrand de la Chesnais. pic.twitter.com/YBtdSv4iwL
– Eric Zemmour (@ZemmourEric) December 23, 2021
Accompanied by his campaign director, the retired general Bertrand de La Chesnais, he went to deliver a message of support to the FFCIs, and promises of credits if he is elected. The one who was in favor of a French withdrawal from Mali a few months ago, moreover seemed less categorical in his message for the occasion.
” Your action in the world protects our country from attacks wherever they come from. They protect our interests alongside our partners that we will not abandon “, did he declare. ” I will pay particular attention to the means that will be allocated to our defense and our armies, as well as to their deployment. “, Can we still read in the text published by the candidate on his Twitter account.
#Zemmour in Abidjan to visit the soldiers of the FFCI in Port-Bouët and promises credits if he is elected. But do not question the existence of Barkhane. https://t.co/VqF2eCr84V
– Pierre Pinto (@_PierrePinto) December 23, 2021
The Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly saw red. She denounces an instrumentalisation for electoral purposes.
” We asked for discretion, there is instrumentalization, the conditions are not respected “, Attacks an adviser of the ministry who threatens:” We will draw the consequences. “
In other words, Eric Zemmour risks being persona non grata in French military camps.
Angry reaction from the Ministry of the Armed Forces after Eric Zemmour’s visit to the Fr soldiers in Côte d’Ivoire: “We were asking for discretion, there is instrumentalization, the conditions are not respected. We will draw the consequences” (for these next requests) @RFI
– Julien Chavanne (@julien_chavanne) December 23, 2021
The candidate, however, seeks a presidential stature. The temptation of the coup seems to remain the strongest.
Some 950 French soldiers are stationed at the Port-Bouët base in Abidjan. A base which serves as a relay for the Barkhane mission and for logistical support in particular.
1. Eric Zemmour’s visit to our soldiers in Abidjan arouses reactions. It is important to understand in what context this visit was authorized by the Ministry of the Armed Forces.
– Spokesperson for the French Ministry of the Armed Forces (@HerveGrandjean) December 23, 2021
After the military part of this visit, Mr. Zemmour had an appointment in the afternoon in a bar in the Biétry district with about thirty handpicked French nationals, for an exchange on his program, reports our correspondent at Abidjan, Pierre Pinto.