French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday rebuked Premier Giorgia Meloni for commenting on the Lyon killing of a young far-right activist. He said foreign leaders should refrain from intervening in domestic matters.
Speaking from New Delhi during an official visit to India, Macron responded to Meloni’s remarks on the death of 23-year-old nationalist militant Quentin Deranque, who died after a street fight in Lyon.
“Let everyone stay at home and the sheep will be well looked after,” Macron said, in comments widely interpreted as a pointed message to Rome not to interfere in French affairs.
What did Meloni say about the Lyon killing?
Meloni had condemned the attack on Wednesday, describing the death as “deeply shocking and saddening.” She said the killing of a young man “attacked by groups linked to left-wing extremism and caught up in a climate of ideological hatred that spans several nations” represented “a wound for the whole of Europe.”
“No political idea, no ideological opposition can justify violence or turn confrontation into physical aggression,” she said, adding that “when hatred and violence replace dialogue, democracy always loses.”
Sources at Palazzo Chigi in Rome said Macron’s reaction had been received “with amazement,” stressing that the Italian premier had expressed condolences and solidarity with the French people rather than intervening in France’s internal affairs. According to the same sources, Meloni’s comments were intended as a broader warning about political violence across Europe.
Rising tensions over political violence
The exchange highlights growing sensitivity in Europe over extremist violence. Meloni later told Sky News that she sees “a climate I don’t like” not only in Italy and France but also in the United States.
She referenced recent violence in Italy involving anarchist groups, in which a police officer suffered serious injuries, and warned against a return to the period of domestic terrorism that marked Italy’s so-called “Years of Lead,” when the Marxist guerrilla organisation Red Brigades carried out kidnappings and assassinations.
Meloni also cited the now-defunct “Mitterrand Doctrine,” under which France, during the presidency of François Mitterrand, granted asylum to several former members of the Red Brigades. The policy was later rescinded, and some former militants were extradited to Italy.
“I also commented on the murder of Charlie Kirk when it happened,” Meloni said, referring to a right-wing activist in the United States, arguing that her remarks were not intended as interference but as part of a broader reflection on rising ideological violence.
Diplomatic friction or political signalling?
Macron’s sharp response suggests Paris views the matter as strictly domestic. Rome maintains that expressing condolences and condemning political extremism does not amount to interference.
