RT.com
02 Apr 2026, 02:49 GMT+10
Some newly elected officials from the National Rally have begun their mandates by removing the bloc's flags from town halls
Paris has lashed out at right-wing mayors who have stripped European Union flags from town halls following their election wins. Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot has condemned the acts as a "betrayal," framing them as an erosion of freedom and democracy.
The controversy follows municipal elections last month in which Marine Le Pen's right-wing National Rally (RN) won in dozens of small and mid-sized towns, more than tripling its mayoral and council positions since the last vote.
In a symbolic gesture, some newly elected RN mayors began their mandates by removing EU flags from town halls. In at least two instances, the mayors removed the flag themselves and posted footage on social media. One of them said that the only "worthy" flag is the blue-white-red French standard.
"This is a betrayal of who we are," Barrot wrote on X on Tuesday. "This [EU] flag is the flag of a possible hope; it is the flag of freedom, justice, and democracy," he argued.
Led by veteran politician Marine Le Pen and party president Jordan Bardella, the Euroskeptic RN is France's largest opposition party, holding a plurality of seats in parliament.
The party has long argued EU policies undermine French sovereignty, particularly on borders, migration, and economic rules. It advocates stricter immigration and asylum policies, prioritizing French citizens in social benefits, and reforms that would give national law primacy over EU rules.
The RN previously called for a referendum on France leaving the EU, with 'Frexit' a central issue in its 2017 campaign, but has since abandoned that position.
In the 2026 municipal elections, RN candidates campaigned on security, fiscal management, and local identity, often under the slogan "a safer and better-managed city."
READ MORE: Le Pen party wins small-town votes in French elections
Le Pen has also criticized aspects of the EU's policy toward Russia, calling for greater emphasis on diplomacy.
A three-time presidential candidate who reached the run-off in 2017 and 2022, Le Pen was sidelined last year after a French court convicted her of misusing EU funds. She denies wrongdoing.
Her protege, Bardella, remains a leading figure in opinion polls ahead of the 2027 presidential race.
Get a daily dose of Switzerland Times news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Switzerland Times.
More InformationDUBLIN, Ireland: Sky TV Ireland will receive the names and addresses of more than 300 dodgy box users in its continuing efforts to...
BASEL, Switzerland: Swiss drugmaker Novartis has agreed to acquire California-based biotech firm Excellergy in a deal worth up to US$2...
FRANKFURT, Germany: Germany's Henkel has agreed to acquire Nasdaq-listed hair care brand Olaplex for $1.4 billion, aiming to expand...
ZAGREB, Croatia: Uber Technologies has teamed up with Pony.ai and Croatian startup Verne to launch what the companies say will be Europe's...
PARIS/STOCKHOLM: Surging petrol prices linked to the war in Iran are accelerating demand for used electric vehicles across Europe,...
Some newly elected officials from the National Rally have begun their mandates by removing the bloc's flags from town halls ...
TOKYO, Japan: Japan's deployed its first long-range missile at a southwestern army camp, officials said on March 31. With the country...
SACRAMENTO, California: California became the first state in January to require food makers to add folic acid, an important vitamin,...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: U.S. gasoline prices have climbed above US$4 a gallon for the first time since 2022, as the Iran war drives...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Airlines are scrambling to adjust fares and flight schedules as a sharp rise in fuel costs threatens profitability...
BEIJING, China: Six years after China suspended all air traffic to North Korea, China Air, the country's flag carrier, resumed direct...
ST. PAUL, Minnesota: Protesting against the war in Iran and President Donald Trump's actions in Iran, people held No Kings rallies...
