Bad news from Paris 2024: “Jeux interdits?”

Dissolution and risk of “civil war”: is the IOC president considering canceling the Paris Olympics? Paris 2024: Games banned (Jeux interdits)?

Can the dissolution of the National Assembly, early legislative elections and the risk of “civil war” mentioned by Emmanuel Macron have an impact on the Paris 2024 Olympic Games? A few days before the start of the competition, the IOC is reportedly wondering about the holding of the events, writes Le Point.

While, this summer, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games were to return the event to a traditional organization, the recent dissolution of the National Assembly by Emmanuel Macron and the political crisis which ensued could jeopardize the holding of the tests.

In its issue of Thursday, July 4, Le Point publishes an article about the obstacles that have been facing the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris for several weeks now. Although Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has publicly assured that "legislative elections are a democratic process that will not interfere with the Olympic Games," people at home are much more skeptical, according to the newspaper.

“The IOC president has given himself until mid-July to confirm, cancel or postpone the Paris Games. He (Thomas Bach) was stunned by the dissolution then frightened by Emmanuel Macron's declarations predicting civil war in the event of his adversaries' victory. He gave himself until mid-July to confirm, cancel or postpone the Paris Games, with the collateral damage of calling into question the candidacy of the French Alps for the 2030 Winter Games,” says Nicolas Baverez in his column in Le Point.

Before the first round of early legislative elections, the President of the Republic effectively affirmed that the programs of “the two extremes” would lead “to civil war” in France.

Paris 2024 “denies this information”. The Organizing Committee for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games contacted the JDD in order to deny the “false information about a cancellation of the Paris Games”.

In any case, two themes are particularly scrutinized in the run-up to the Games: security and transport. Emmanuel Macron's suspicion of civil war is not reassuring. While numerous demonstrations have taken place throughout France since the announcement of the dissolution of the National Assembly, a victory of the National Rally in the legislative elections could give rise to violent gatherings a few days before the start of the Olympic Games ( July 26). As for transport, it is not impossible to foresee acts of civil disobedience, because a “resistance network” composed of civil servants would have been created.

According to the editorialist of Le Point, “the dissolution transformed the Paris Games into a catastrophe for the economy and the image of France”. Indeed, tourism is down compared to estimates. In June, the hotel industry and department stores posted turnover down by 25 and 10% respectively. The State hoped for 9 billion euros in benefits.

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