Prisca Thevenot criticized for counting European medals at the Olympics
Prisca Thevenot, government spokesperson and minister responsible for Democratic Renewal, sparked controversy on the social network to celebrate the collective performance of the countries of the European Union, was widely criticized by Internet users and political figures.
A Contested Comparison
“Together, the nations of the European Union are well at the top of the medal rankings for the Paris 2024 Games with 156 podiums and 49 titles. That’s as many titles as the United States, China and Great Britain combined,” declared Prisca Thevenot on X, relaying an article from Le Figaro.
Indignant Reactions
This remark did not fail to annoy many Internet users and political figures, who stressed that the European Union is not a nation. Charles-Henri Gallois, president of the pro-Frexit movement “Let’s take back control!” » and candidate nominated by the National Rally, reacted strongly: “You are grotesque. The EU is not a nation. If this were the case, it would once again harm European nations because there would be fewer qualified athletes and fewer medals. »
For his part, Bertrand Guyot, journalist at Front Populaire, criticized the relevance of this comparison: “When France faces Italy in the final, that makes two European medals. It therefore makes no sense (one could even say that it is totally stupid) to compare the results of the EU with those of other nations. »
Alice Leroy
