President Emmanuel Macron has called for a “political truce” during the Olympic Games in France, as he visited the Olympic Village in Paris today. The games are set to begin in just four days.
This truce will likely continue until the end of the games, effectively postponing the pending issue of replacing Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, who is in the process of resigning. Besides Macron, even the left-wing opposition doesn’t seem in a rush to form a new government, as they have not yet agreed on a candidate to propose as prime minister to the president.
Meanwhile, Paris is gearing up for the opening ceremony on Friday on the Seine, which is expected to attract approximately 300,000 spectators along its banks and nearly a billion television viewers worldwide. More than 100 heads of state and government, along with leaders of major multinational companies, will attend the opening ceremony. Receptions, dinners, and meetings are scheduled at prestigious locations such as the Presidential Palace on the Champs-Élysées, the Louvre, the Louis Vuitton Foundation, and the Trocadero.
Details about the opening ceremony remain scarce, but it will span 6 kilometers along the Seine. National delegations and around 8,500 athletes will be on 85 riverboats sailing at a speed of approximately 9 km per hour. As is tradition, the Greek delegation will lead, while the French delegation will be last. The ceremony will last about four hours, showcasing Paris as the city of light, love, arts, and spirit. However, there is concern about the weather, as the French meteorological service predicts rain on Friday.
The Olympic Flame will be placed in the Tuileries Garden, where it will burn day and night until the end of the games. This is the first time in modern Olympic history that the Olympic Altar is located outside the Olympic Stadium. Additionally, many sports events will be held in the city center rather than in the Olympic Stadium. Approximately 1.5 million foreign tourists are expected in Paris, primarily from the USA, Britain, and Germany. Over 8.5 million tickets have been sold, although football is expected to attract fewer spectators.
The French police are on high alert, with about 60,000 armed officers and 20,000 soldiers patrolling the streets of Paris daily. Reports indicate that security authorities have recently removed many homeless people from the city center and imposed restrictive measures on those suspected of potential unrest.
