By JULIAN SHEA in London | China Daily Global | Updated: 2021-05-07 09:24 Share CLOSE French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron stand in front of Napoleon s tomb during a ceremony to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Napoleon Bonaparte s death at the Hotel des Invalides in Paris, France, May 5, 2021. [Photo/Agencies]
French President Emmanuel Macron said the country s hugely divisive former emperor Napoleon Bonaparte is part of us in a speech to mark the 200th anniversary of his death.
Speaking to an audience of historians and secondary school students at the Institute de France, the academy to promote the arts and sciences set up by Napoleon, before going to lay a wreath at his tomb in Les Invalides, Macron was deliberately neutral in his choice of words about someone whose legacy continues to provoke such contrasting opinions.
Macron negotiates politically charged Napoleon commemoration
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05/05/2021 - 04:02 Macron is to seek a middle path between those who wanted a celebration of Napoleon, and others who called for a boycott. Ian LANGSDON POOL/AFP 4 min
Paris (AFP)
French President Emmanuel Macron is to lay a wreath at the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte to mark the 200th anniversary of his death on Wednesday after months of debate about the legacy of the country s most famous autocrat.
Macron waited until the last minute to announce his plans for the tricky bicentenary and is seeking to walk a middle path between those who wanted a celebration, and others who called for a boycott.