Symbol copyright Reuters Image caption Mr Benalla and Mr Macron pictured in combination on Bastille Day this month
“the one individual chargeable for this affair is me,” he stated. “If they are on the lookout for any individual to carry responsible, he is proper in front of you. they are able to come and get me.”
Lawmakers have been not easy to understand why the presidency didn’t act quicker because the inner minister admitted he knew of the video on 2 Would Possibly.
Mr Macron again criticised participants of the media on Wednesday, telling journalists from shops: “you’ve been saying a whole lot of nonsense over the previous few days.”
Dismissive of the fourth estate
By Lucy Williamson, BBC Paris correspondent
Emmanuel Macron has been cautious of the media ever on account that he entered the Elysée Palace.
His tightly managed operation may not stand for the kind of grubby insights given away through his predecessor, as an alternative preferring a more faraway, virtually regal symbol for the president, above the fray of media scrabble.
But hardly has this champion of democratic values been so overtly dismissive of the fourth estate.
The heavy-passed actions of Alexandre Benalla have turned up the heat on President Macron, because Le Monde published a video final week appearing the presidential bodyguard impersonating a police officer all over Might Day demonstrations, hauling off one protestor and beating every other one.
Mr Benalla has considering the fact that been fired, however the scandal over his preliminary – allegedly lenient – treatment through the Elysée precipitated parliament to break its customary deliberations this week, and has led to the conservative opposition calling for a vote of no trust within the government.
Its impact – a few are even calling it France’s Watergate – turns out overblown, most likely inflated by means of a dearth of stories prior to the summer season holiday, however Mr Macron’s obvious anger at being focused like this says as much about his sort of management because the media itself.
Mr Macron pushed aside Mr Benalla from his position as assistant to the French president’s leader of workforce on Friday.
On Sunday, charges were introduced in opposition to Mr Benalla, who’s accused of attack with an partner, interfering in police paintings, impersonating a police officer and illegally receiving surveillance footage.
On Monday, the president’s most sensible bodyguard throughout closing year’s election marketing campaign defended his actions, claiming that he was once “lending a hand” to the rebellion officers at the scene after he was “invited to observe” their operations.
He believes his behaviour was being exploited for “media and political ends”, his attorneys stated.
