Put their French flags at half mast in tribute to Elizabeth II, who died this Thursday, September 8? Some French mayors categorically refuse to do so, denouncing a request that is incompatible with the French republic.
Thursday, September 8, Emmanuel Macron had initially proposed the half-masting of the French flag on the day of the announcement of his death and the day of his funeral, on all public buildings, including the Elysée. The next day, Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne urged the mayors of France to lower the flags of their towns, by sending them a letter.
An “incredible” request, according to one of the refractory elected officials, the socialist mayor of Bourges, Yann Galut. In a tweet published this Sunday, September 11 in the morning, he says “respect the pain of our English friends”, but immediately announces his refusal to comply with the instructions. With our colleagues from Berry Républicain, he explains: “That the French president expresses his solidarity, that does not cause me any concern, it is normal. That he attends the funeral, that France expresses its sympathy, of course that is normal. But to pay a national tribute in all the town halls of France to a monarch, I who am a republican, I am in the misunderstanding. There must be a graduation in the tribute. And the city councilor added: “I will ask myself the same question for another president in the world. I do not confuse the two histories of our countries. We put the flags at half mast for facts that affect the French directly. And for the inhabitants of Bourges, this is not an event that affects our territory.”
Further north, in the small town of Faches-Thumesnil (Hauts-de-France), Mayor Insoumis also expressed his opposition on the social network Twitter on Friday. “I will not apply the order of the Prime Minister […] Is this done for all heads of state who die? Does our Republic give preference to a monarch, head of a Church ?”. His post has been commented on over a thousand times. This is why a few hours later, the elected official explained it in a series of tweets. “I welcome the words spoken by politicians who send their condolences to the British people. On the other hand, we are the French Republic, a bearer of values,” he wrote. Before adding: “How do you want to be logical by putting flags on our schools at half-mast where the motto is written: “Liberty, equality, fraternity”? No concept is further from equality” than that of the monarchy. Nothing therefore against the person of Elizabeth II.
A small sling which has nothing to modify the plans of the Élysée. Thursday evening, the presidency placed a British flag on the steps of the palace and will again lower the flags on Monday, September 19, the day of the funeral of this “great friend of France”. And a majority of cities should follow.
The last time a President had asked to lower the flags for a foreign head of state was in December 2013 during the mandate of François Hollande, to honor the memory of former South African President Nelson Mandela.