Anger boils over as residents jeer French PM in Gironde
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu faced a hostile reception in the Gironde region on Monday. Residents booed him during a visit to Le Porge, amid growing anger over the government’s handling of recent wildfires.
Lecornu had travelled to the area to meet local officials and discuss reconstruction efforts following a devastating wildfire last month. The visit, however, quickly turned tense.
Footage published by BFMTV showed residents jeering as the prime minister arrived. Several locals also criticised him for leaving without engaging freely with the community.
Speaking to AFP, 65-year-old resident Tony Veiga said the least Lecornu could have done was actually meet with residents directly. He said the government’s approach made people feel as though they simply didn’t matter.
Lecornu’s office responded by saying he had spoken with affected residents and farmers during the visit. Speaking separately with officials in nearby Merignac, the prime minister insisted there was nothing to hide regarding how fire protection efforts had been carried out in recent weeks.
According to AFP, much of the anger stems from allegations that authorities prioritised protecting the affluent Cap-Ferret peninsula over ordinary local homes during the firefighting response. Lecornu firmly rejected those claims, denying any preferential treatment had taken place.
The backlash adds to broader frustration across parts of Europe currently grappling with wildfire emergencies. Meanwhile, the European Commission has ramped up support elsewhere on the continent, deploying additional firefighting resources to both Belgium and Spain through its civil protection mechanism.
Swedish aircraft and helicopters from several European countries have been sent to Belgium to assist with ongoing fire response efforts there. Separately, 104 French firefighters and 36 vehicles have joined operations in Spain to help combat blazes spreading through the region.
With wildfires continuing to strain resources across multiple European countries, pressure on national governments to respond effectively is likely to remain high in the coming weeks. For Lecornu, Monday’s frosty reception in Gironde signals that public patience with the government’s crisis response is wearing thin.
