French President Emmanuel Macron has criticised foreign leaders for their remarks on recent unrest in France, accusing them of exploiting the situation for political gains.
Speaking to the media during his three-day visit to Qatar, Macron condemned what he described as “stupid comments” by foreign leaders who, he said, were using France’s domestic turmoil to advance their political agendas.
Macron also rejected claims of direct foreign interference in the unrest while expressing concern over the spread of misinformation, including artificial intelligence-generated images depicting incidents that had not taken place.
Separate protests also took place in Italy, Spain, Portugal and Albania on Saturday and Sunday. Thousands of people marched in Greece on Wednesday for improved education services, in solidarity with French students whose protests were the initial trigger for mounting unrest in the country.
Tensions remain high in France. Student union UNEF and the anti-establishment “gilets jaunes,” or “yellow vest” group, have both called for further rallies this coming weekend.