Saturday, August 15, 2026

Macron Under Fire for Jet-skiing on Holiday while France Burns

THE TELEGRAPH: French president photographed on riviera as country experiences worst forest fires in its history

Screenshot taken from this Telegraph article. | Emmanuel Macon, photographed on a jet-ski for the celebrity magazine Paris Match Credit: Backgrid UK

Emmanuel Macron has been accused of megalomania for showing off on a jetski while wildfires continue to ravage France.

The 48-year-old French president was criticised by opposition politicians on Friday after photos from his holiday appeared on the front page of the celebrity magazine Paris Match.

France is experiencing some of the worst forest fires in its history amid near-constant heatwaves.

Pierre Ouzoulias, the communist senator, told Europe 1 that Mr Macron’s behaviour was “indecent”, adding: “Personally, I would have preferred to see him in a fire truck, helping firefighters put out the blaze. That is where he belonged.” » | Peter Allen | Friday, August 14, 2026

How irresponsible! How insensitive! How insouciant! I would have expected better from M. Macron. Little wonder the fortunes of Mme. Le Pen are rosier than ever! And those of the far-right right across Europe, too. This is terrible symbolism in these perilous times. — © Mark Alexander