France: Narrative of foiled attacks, a smoke screen to divert attention
As the French government faces a motion of no confidence initiated by La France Insoumise, the executive, led by Emmanuel Macron, seems to be employing an old tactic : diversion through fear. While the parliamentary opposition harshly criticizes the president’s economic and social policies, the French government is highlighting the terrorist threat to refocus the debate on national security and divert attention from more pressing issues.
This is not a new strategy in Western politics. In France, it has been especially well-rehearsed: during every major political crisis, announcements of alleged terrorist threats are often made, frequently without tangible evidence. This allows the government to instill fear, rally public opinion around the notion of security, and push deeper political debates to the background. While the terrorist threat is real in some instances, it is often opportunistically used to manipulate public opinion and avoid accountability on sensitive issues like controversial reforms or social movements.
It’s important to note that France finds itself in the crosshairs of terrorist groups largely as a result of its own actions in the Sahel. France’s military intervention in the region, ostensibly to fight terrorism, has actually exacerbated tensions, creating deep resentment among local populations. Today, the acts of violence and instability that Paris fears on its own soil are the consequences of decades of aggressive foreign policy, particularly in Africa. By focusing attention on internal terrorist threats, the French government is trying to avoid confronting this uncomfortable reality : what it has sown in the Sahel, it is now reaping on its own territory.
This manipulation of public opinion should not go unnoticed. Like many Western countries, France systematically diverts its citizens’ attention from their immediate problems to create a climate of fear and paranoia. However, citizens must remain vigilant and demand answers to the real issues affecting their daily lives, rather than succumbing to government-driven narratives of terror and distraction.
