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Macron promises to ‘put an end’ to violence against women in France

With marches taking place across France to demand better protection for female victims of violence, President Emmanuel Macron addressed the nation promising tougher action.

Published: 25 November 2023 15:31 CET

Women march to protest gender-based violence in Paris. (Photo by JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP)

French President Emmanuel Macron issued a video statement on Saturday, marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

“Every day, women suffer oppression, abuse and controlling behaviour. Every day, blows are dealt and lives are destroyed. This persistence of violence against women is not inevitable. We can put an end to it. We must put an end to it, and we will,” he said.

Message important en ce jour de mobilisation contre les violences faites aux femmes. pic.twitter.com/MU6tfDu2mZ

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) November 25, 2023

The President highlighted measures that have been taken under his administration, including reforms to make it easier to report abuse; an expansion in operating times of emergency hotlines; increased hiring of specialised investigators; and the creation of new emergency accommodation for women in danger.

“244,000 victims of domestic violence were recorded this year by law enforcement. That’s twice as many as in 2017. And these figures obviously reflect the fact that women are speaking out more freely. This is a good thing, but the fact remains that 118 women died at the hands of their partner in 2022”, he said.

“We must continue to move forward, to be more demanding, more protective and better at prevention. That’s it, we’re continuing and we won’t give up.”

From December 1st, victims of domestic violence will be able to apply for emergency finance from the state to help them move out and from January, specialised departments will be created in courts across the country to process domestic violence cases. But for people protesting across the country on Saturday, progress isn’t happening fast enough.

The marches have been organised by feminist collectives including #NousToutes and Grève féministe, as well as trade union federations.

They say that 121 women have been killed in incidences of domestic violence so far this year – a figure that, while not yet officially confirmed, surpasses the number killed in 2022.

The organisers are calling for violence to be prevented at an early stage through better education in schools and for tougher steps to regulate the porn industry, which it says promotes “rape culture”. Speaking to France Info, Jessica Suzes, a representative of #NousToutes said there were 250 rapes or attempted rapes everyday in France – one every six minutes. “There is still a lot to do: in businesses, in the government, in all of society,” she said.

The march organisers are also calling for companies to be sanctioned if they do not put in place plans to prevent sexist and sexual violence. They also want 15,000 new places available in emergency accommodation for women fleeing violent partners.

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Cohabitation

The far-right Rassemblement National of three-time presidential candidate Marine Le Pen and current party leader Jordan Bardella are tipped to be the party with most seats after the second round on July 7th.

If the RN and its allies did secure a majority in the Assemblée Nationale – and current polling suggests this is doubtful – Macron would find himself in a “cohabitation“, in which the president and government are from opposing parties.

Post-war France has experienced three such forced marriages. All were between the left and the centre-right with the last from 1997-2002 between President Jacques Chirac and Socialist premier Lionel Jospin.

Cohabitation: What happens in France’s political ‘forced marriages’?

A cohabition between the Macron and his far-right arch-enemies would likely be a much unhappier affair.

While the far-right would be able to implement part of its domestic programme, on, for example, curtailing immigration, only the president can call a referendum or trigger a vote on constitutional changes.

The president, who usually sets foreign and defence policy, could also find his hands tied if the RN appointed nationalist defence and foreign ministers opposed to his worldview.

Coalition

France has spurned coalitions since the post-war 4th Republic (1946-1958) when the country went through 22 governments in 12 years.

Since losing his parliamentary majority in 2022, Macron has sought to cobble together alliances in parliament on a vote-by-vote basis or to force through legislation without a vote rather than form a pact with another party.

The RN or the left could try do the same if they fall short of a majority but a minority government of the far-right or left would likely fail to pass a vote of no confidence.

Aware of the risks, RN leader Bardella has said he will refuse to become prime minister unless he wins an outright majority.

Macron’s camp hopes that in the event of a hung parliament it could form a coalition with moderates of the left and right.

As part of its outreach to possible allies, Macron’s party has not entered candidates in 67 constituencies where centre-right or centre-left candidates are running.

But Macron has limited his options by putting the hard-left La France Insoumise (LFI) — the dominant force in the NFP — on a par with the far-right in what he calls the country’s “extremes”. He accuses LFI of anti-Semitism, which it rejects.

Caretaker government

Another option would be for Macron to appoint a technocratic non-partisan government which all parties could get behind.

Camille Bedock, a political scientist at the Emile Durckheim centre in Bordeaux, cites the example of Italy, where respected former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi formed a national unity government in 2021 when Italy was in turmoil. It lasted a year-and-a-half.

Bedock said Macron could also decide to leave the current government headed by his party’s Gabriel Attal in place in a caretaker capacity for a year. He could then call new elections.

This would have the benefit of ensuring continuity through the Olympic Games (July 26th – August 11th) when the country will be under intense global scrutiny.

Whether the far-right or left would support such a move, which would effectively buy Macron time to try turn around his presidency, is highly uncertain.

Macron resigns

The most dramatic scenario would see Macron resign if faced with the prospect of being neutered by the far right or the hard left.

Le Pen, who is expected to try succeed Macron in 2027 presidential polls, has warned that he “will have no choice but to resign” in the event of a “political crisis”.

Macron has vowed to remain on office until the end of his second term in 2027, whatever the outcome.

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