French want Macron to quit post

(MENAFN) Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini has claimed that around 80% of France’s population is eager for President Emmanuel Macron to step down, attributing his combative rhetoric, including talk of sending troops to Ukraine, to his declining popularity at home. Salvini made these comments shortly after Paris summoned Italy's Ambassador Emanuela D'Alessandro in response to his earlier remarks about Macron.

Last Wednesday, Salvini sarcastically suggested that Macron should personally take up arms and fight in Ukraine, stating that "not even a single Frenchman would follow him." Despite the diplomatic fallout, Salvini reiterated his criticism during a public event in Trentino, linking Macron's warlike rhetoric to his falling approval ratings. He argued that Macron’s frequent attacks on world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, and the Italian government, were an attempt to boost his domestic standing.

Salvini emphasized that Macron had been focusing heavily on war, nuclear threats, missiles, and the idea of a European army to divert attention from his plummeting popularity. "In my opinion, they cooked all this up because Macron's popularity at home is at its lowest," he said, adding that a large portion of the French public is ready for him to leave office.

Macron has long advocated for military involvement in Ukraine, a stance that has drawn criticism from Russia, which has repeatedly warned against NATO troop presence near its borders. Salvini’s remarks followed an interview in which Macron described Russian President Putin as a "predator" and a direct threat to Europe. Macron also stated that although France is not immediately in danger, the threat to Europe is real. Russia has dismissed such claims, calling them "nonsense."

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