By Peter McLaren-Kennedy • Published: 15 Nov 2021 • 18:05 • <1 minute read
Photo by Atypeek Dgn from Pexels
The change made by Emmanuel Macron in the blue colour used on the flag of France, has until now gone unnoticed. The change which was made Macron in 2020 was never formally announced by the Elysee Palace.
The French president’s administration quietly introduced the navy blue over a year ago, and until now there was no explanation given.
A member of staff from Mr Macron’s administration told French news sites Europe 1 and CNews that there were a couple of reasons for the change. The new shade of blue is more distinct from the lighter tone used on the European Union flag.
Reportedly there was a debate around Macron’s desire to change the colour with some arguing that the new look is less attractive, whilst others were supportive in their nostalgia for the flag used during their childhood.
According to the member of staff “there are aesthetic reasons, this blue is more elegant and was also made to revive a symbol of the French Revolution”. The latter in particular is a very political decision although France has used both the lighter and darker tones of blue on its flag for decades.
The country’s navy and many official buildings have long used navy, but the French state introduced a lighter blue to match the colour of the EU flag under then-president Giscard d’Estaing in 1976.
The member of staff stressed that the new colour is not an anti-EU gesture and that no French institutions have been ordered to change their flags.
Emmanuel Macron is the twenty fifth president of the French Republic and Co Prince of Andorra from 2017. He became president of France in 2017 after defeating the right wing politician Marie le Pen. His presidency has not been without its controversies with social tension around labour reform, the Law to reform the French railway company SNCF and with his role as standard-bearer for the main proposals for the re-founding of the European Union
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Originally from South Africa, Peter is based on the Costa Blanca and is a web reporter for the Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.
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