13 Oct 2026
France President Emmanuel Macron slapped in the face
French President Emmanuel Macron has been slapped in the face on an official visit to the south-east of France.
In a video circulating on social media, Mr Macron is seen walking up to a barrier on a trip to Tain-l'Hermitage outside the city of Valence.
A man in a green T-shirt slaps Mr Macron in the face before officers quickly move in. The president, meanwhile, is pulled away.
Two men have been arrested following the incident, French media report.
President Macron later called it an "isolated event".
"We must not let ultra-violent people take over the public debate: they do not deserve it," he told French newspaper Le Dauphiné.
The man reportedly shouted "Down with Macron-ism" as he slapped the president, as well as "Montjoie, Saint-Denis" - the battle-cry of the old Kingdom of France, in reference to the banner of King Charlemagne.
In the video Mr Macron briefly returned to the barrier after the incident and once again interacted with the crowd.
"I continued and I will continue," he later told Le Dauphiné. "Nothing will stop me."
Latest news
Latest newsGeorgia’s Constitutional Court Continues Case on Banning Opposition Parties: Political Pluralism at Stake
12.Oct.2026
Azerbaijan and Iran Step Up Security Contacts Amid Hijab Protests
12.Oct.2026
Personnel Shortages Complicate Ukrainian Forces’ Rotation: Ukraine Faces Long-Term Challenges on the Front Line
11.Oct.2026
Trump Eases Sanctions on Russian Fuel After Talks with Putin: Kyiv Fears Boost to Moscow’s War Revenues
10.Oct.2026
Putin Seeks to Strengthen Russia’s Influence in the Post-Soviet Space Through the CIS
10.Oct.2026
Russia and the South Caucasus: External Pressure, Political Competition and a Crisis of Trust
10.Oct.2026
Peaceful Settlement Between Armenia and Azerbaijan: Moving from Declarations to Implementation
10.Oct.2026
Moldova Ready to Accept as Many Ukrainians as Necessary if Situation Worsens This Winter
09.Oct.2026
Turkmenistan Turns Avaza into a Regional Diplomatic Hub as Caspian, Central Asian and CIS Agendas Converge
08.Oct.2026
Romania Scrambles Spanish F-18s After Aerial Targets Detected Near Ukrainian Border
07.Oct.2026
Berlin Deepens Defence Partnership with Kyiv: Germany to Provide Ukraine with €1 Billion in Military Aid
07.Oct.2026
European Parliament Against Georgian Dream: EU Prepares New Response to Tbilisi
06.Oct.2026
Bulgarian Foreign Minister to Discuss European Security and International Law in the Netherlands
05.Oct.2026
Rheinmetall in Bulgaria: Sofia Emerges as a New NATO Defence-Industrial Hub in the Balkans
05.Oct.2026
The Cost of a Long War: Moscow Expands Spending Plans Through 2029
05.Oct.2026