The recent tragic event in France has left the nation in shock. A 14-year-old boy was fatally stabbed in Paris after refusing to give up his phone to two teenagers. The incident occurred as the boy was leaving a football training session in southern Paris. When he refused to hand over his phone, one of the teenagers stabbed him in the shoulder. Despite being rushed to the hospital, the boy succumbed to his injuries.
French police have arrested two suspects, aged 16 and 17, who were identified with the help of a friend of the victim. Both suspects had previously appeared in court last October on charges of violent theft. Paris police prefect Laurent Nunez stated that one suspect admitted to the attempted extortion and the deadly knife blow. Nunez also highlighted a concerning rise in youth violence, despite an overall decrease in youth delinquency cases. In the Paris region, a third of those accused of violent theft are minors.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau expressed his horror at the incident, describing it as an attack by “barbarians” who wanted to steal a phone. He emphasized the need to rebuild a France where parents no longer have to fear for their children’s safety.
In a related development, French President Emmanuel Macron’s popularity has hit a new low. According to a recent Ifop poll published in the Journal de Dimanche, only 21% of respondents expressed satisfaction with Macron’s leadership. This marks a significant drop from his previous popularity ratings, even lower than during the 2019 “yellow vests” movement protests. The poll revealed that 79% of respondents were dissatisfied with Macron, with 35% expressing dissatisfaction and 44% expressing great dissatisfaction. Notably, Macron’s popularity has dropped by 10% among older voters and pensioners, who have traditionally been a strong support base for him.
Macron’s popularity has been declining since he dissolved France’s parliament in the summer, leading to inconclusive parliamentary elections and a political crisis. The poll was conducted among 2,001 people aged over 18 between January 15 and 23.
Here are the sources cited in full:
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2524754/macrons-popularity-hits-new-low
https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/french-president-macrons-popularity-hits-new-low