France's Emmanuel Macron says he bears responsibility for bodyguard crisis, Europe News & Top Stories

PARIS (REUTERS) – French President Emmanuel Macron told the lawmakers of his party on Tuesday (July 24) he is responsible for a bodyguard filmed badaulting May Day protesters, an incident that has sparked the biggest political crisis of his tenure.

Criticism of the case of the lawfulness of the lawfulness of the law

months ago.

Footage showed the bodyguard, Alexander Benalla, hitting a male protesting and dragging a woman while off duty and wearing a riot helmet and police tags.

"I alone bear responsibility. I answer to the French people, "Macron told a gathering of members of parliament from his party."

d by his supporters on social media

Macron said he did not want anyone else to be in the heat of the world.

Minister Edward Philippe sought to defend the government against the opposition by the opposition conservative for a vote of no-confidence.

"An isolated incident carried out by this person … does not constitute a scandal state," he said after fending off Several lawmakers on the issue.

"I understand that there may be questions about the possible proportionality of decisions taken, but the speed of the decision is not questionable," he said, referring to the initial suspension imposed on Benalla by the Elysee.

"Nothing was hidden, nothing was left out," he added.

Macron came under further pressure on Monday the interior minister and the police chief said the presidency told them in May it would deal with the bodyguard . [19659002] Benalla had been arrested for Macron's entourage.

The French leader fired him on Friday. chief of staff Patrick Strzoda told a parliamentary probe on Tuesday that he had taken the decision to suspend Benalla after the incident and that Macron was informed while on a trip to Australia.

"I took it alone in my soul and conscience," Strzoda told lawmakers

UNITED FRONT

Benalla has been at Macron's side of numerous public and private events, from the 2017 presidential campaign to the celebration of France's World Cup victory in Paris.

Strzoda denied French media reports that He had been given a helping hand by a member of the board of directors.

Opposition lawmakers have launched a united offensive against Macron, fired by their grilling of Interior Minister Gerard Collomb on Monday, September 26, 2009 (Author): "Christian Jacob, the head of the Republicans opposition party in the

A vote of no-confidence is unlikely to bring about a negative effect on the

But according to an IPSOS poll on Tuesday, the first since the story broke, Macron has seen his popularity fall to 32 per cent, down four points since June 2017.

A second poll by Elabe showed that 80 per cent of French people were shocked by the Benalla affair