Paris Awaits Olympic Action with Hopes and Fears
When Paris’s Olympic Games opening ceremony begins, athletes will glide down the River Seine, echoing the days of King Louis XV. More than France’s global image is at stake. President Emmanuel Macron hopes the Games will boost national morale, as he previously warned of potential “civil war.” Macron aims for a “summer of French pride” and has high hopes for France to rank in the top five in the medal table, a feat last achieved in 1996.
Paris aspires to surpass previous Olympics with dazzling visuals, sustainability, gender equality, and a record amount of vegetarian food. Macron acknowledged the ambitious city-wide ceremony seemed “crazy,” but these Games are about achieving the impossible. Stars like rugby ace Antoine Dupont, swimmer Léon Marchand, and basketball player Victor Wembanyama are among France’s gold medal hopefuls.
Macron’s political gamble, calling a risky snap parliament election, resulted in a divided government, with Prime Minister Gabriel Attal leading a caretaker cabinet during the Games. Macron hopes to temporarily suspend domestic political conflicts to focus on the competitions.
The Games feature events in iconic locations, such as beach volleyball beneath the Eiffel Tower and equestrian events at the Château de Versailles. Open-water swimming in the Seine follows a major cleanup of the river. However, NGOs have criticized the “harassment, expulsion, and invisibilisation” of homeless people as part of a city “clean-up” operation.
Despite initial skepticism, enthusiasm is growing as locals watch the Olympic flame journey through Paris. Some Parisians have embraced the event, finding the city more pleasant and supportive. Maxime Zerillo, a volunteer from Marseille, sees the Games as a unifying moment for the nation. With 45,000 officers ensuring security, there are concerns the heavy measures might dampen the celebratory mood. Nonetheless, Macron and Paris hope the Olympics will leave a lasting positive legacy, both in sports and national unity.
Re-reported from the article originally published in THE GAURDIAN.
