Macron's stormy encounter in Mayotte draws global scrutiny

During his visit to Mayotte, a French island in the Indian Ocean, Emmanuel Macron was met with dissatisfaction from the residents. The island community, affected by the aftermath of Cyclone Chido, expressed their grievances to the President of France. During a conversation with the residents, Macron lost his temper.

In a video published by the Brut service, Macron can be seen emotionally responding to one of the residents. "If it weren't for France, you would be in 10,000 times deeper trouble. There is no other place in the Indian Ocean that has received as much help," Macron thundered.

This comment was met with criticism. Cyclone Chido, which struck Mayotte, resulted in the deaths of 35 people, and the number of victims may be significantly higher.

Mayotte, being the poorest region of France, struggles with serious problems, including water shortages and network failures. The island is home to many undocumented migrants, further complicating the situation.

Later in the meeting, Macron appealed to residents not to turn against each other and emphasized that they are part of France.

Macron's visit to Mayotte sparked mixed reactions. In another video published by BFMTV, the president was seen being booed and called upon to resign. Mayotte, which voted to remain with France in 1976, is subject to an international dispute, as the UN does not recognize French sovereignty over the island.

Macron's words met with criticism from various political circles. Sébastien Chenu from the National Rally stated that the president will not console the residents of Mayotte, who feel they are treated differently. Meanwhile, Clémentine Autain, a left-wing parliamentarian, described Macron's statement as "neo-colonial language, unworthy of a president."