French President Emmanuel Macron is about to fly to Qatar for the second time in per week, regardless of widespread considerations concerning the emirate’s human rights and environmental report. Why? Because France is within the World Cup closing, and Macron is definitely a giant soccer fan – in addition to a significant advocate of a long-term partnership between the 2 international locations.
A video broadcast after France’s victory over Morocco within the semi-finals confirmed an enthusiastic Macron with French gamers within the dressing room on the Doha stadium on Wednesday night, applauding to the sound of the “free will” musical hit that the crew carried out. Has grow to be a victory. Hymn.
The World Cup in Qatar has sparked plenty of controversies – from the dwelling circumstances of migrant employees to the impact of air-conditioned stadiums on the setting and the area for LGBTQ individuals in addition to ladies and minorities. Many activists, notably in Europe, urged a boycott of the event.
Some on social media additionally famous that the six-hour flight from Paris to Doha is energy-consuming and never climate-friendly – in obvious contradiction to Macron’s earlier commitments.
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premiumAt a European summit in Brussels on Thursday, Macron stated he stood by his choice. “I’m supporting the France team and I think the French are too,” he stated. He famous over 20 million viewers watched the semi-finals on French TF1 tv, a report excessive for a World Cup sport since 2006. “The figures are there. We love our national team, we are proud of it, we want it to win, ”stated Macron.
A 44-year-old sports activities fanatic, Macron performed soccer with the crew of ENA, France’s elite administration faculty, within the 2000s. He is a supporter of the membership from Marseille in southern France, and final yr performed in a charity soccer match – a primary for a French president in workplace – throughout which he scored from a penalty kick.
French President Emmanuel Macron applauds after the World Cup semi-final soccer match between France and Morocco. (AP)
Macron was additionally seen boxing throughout a marketing campaign occasion within the northern suburbs of Paris in April this yr, simply earlier than he was re-elected for a second time period – a sport he has been identified to observe with the officers in command of his safety. Where did you go?
The French President has already introduced that he’ll attend the semi-finals and closing if France qualifies – simply as he did through the earlier World Cup received by the French in Russia in 2018.
Responding to the criticism, he stated final month that “sports should not be politicised”. Paris and another massive cities in France have determined to not broadcast World Cup matches on large screens in public fan areas amid considerations about Qatar’s human rights report. Macron, who stated he would meet with Qatari officers on Sunday, seems to be sticking to his conventional strategy to diplomacy, which includes talking with different world leaders on powerful points, in response to the French president, “every time it’s needed.” it happens”.
He is one among only a few world leaders to have maintained an open line with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the reason that struggle in Ukraine started. France–Qatar relations, which date again to the emirate’s independence within the Nineteen Seventies, have included a variety of political, financial and safety agreements together with oil contracts, arms gross sales and cultural exchanges.
Major French soccer membership Paris Saint-Germain has been owned by Qatar Sports Investments for greater than 11 years. When Macron visited Qatar a yr in the past, he revealed a joint assertion with the nation’s ruler, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
The two leaders resolved to reinforce financial cooperation and work collectively to “address global challenges including regional security, terrorism, climate change and the energy transition.” Citizens marketing campaign group Awaaz revealed an commercial in two French newspapers on Wednesday condemning Macron’s journey to Qatar, saying: “The gamers do not want you on the World Cup.
The planet does “We thought it was a stunning failure of management that Emmanuel Macron would see
Football” as an alternative of attending the continuing UN Biodiversity Conference in Canada, Oscar Soria, director of the Avaaz marketing campaign, stated on Twitter.
Some French left-wing politicians have additionally criticized Macron’s visits to the Emirates. Yannick Jadot, a member of the Green European Parliament, stated this week that visiting Qatar was a “political mistake”, particularly within the context of a corruption scandal that has induced the EU Parliament to droop work on all Qatar-related recordsdata.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
