France observed the anniversary of the end of the First World War this Wednesday, as the traditional 11 November ceremonies brought together veterans, elected officials, members of the armed forces, and citizens at war memorials across the country. While the day is a solemn national commemoration, this year's events carried a notable political dimension, with several contenders for the upcoming presidential election participating in separate ceremonies, each emphasizing unique locations and messaging.
In Paris, President Emmanuel Macron presided over the national ceremony beneath the Arc de Triomphe, marking his final 11 November as head of state. The president began his tributes by laying a wreath before the statue of Georges Clemenceau on the Champs-Élysées before proceeding to the Place de l'Étoile. Following a review of the troops, he rekindled the flame of the Unknown Soldier and led a minute of silence. The ceremony included the reading of the names of five service members who died for France since the beginning of the year: adjudant-chef Thibaud Breteau, who died in the Levant; major Arnaud Frion, killed in Iraq; and three soldiers who died in Lebanon—adjudant Florian Montorio, sergent Anicet Girardin, and caporal-chef Florian Gillet. The army choir concluded the formal portion of the event by singing La Marseillaise.
Although the head of state did not deliver a speech during the ceremony, he shared a message on X, stating, "Le Bleuet de France is the memory of those who have died for France. It expresses our solidarity with those who still bear the scars of History." He added, "Behind every uniform, there is courage. Behind every sacrifice, a family. Behind every hero, France that remembers."
Marine Le Pen, the National Rally presidential candidate, chose her stronghold in Pas-de-Calais for her commemoration. Her tribute honored soldiers killed in action while also acknowledging the women who maintained the home front during the conflict. In her address, she emphasized the importance of preserving collective memory and national belonging, stating, "Honouring their memory, we commit ourselves to preserving the values for which they fought: sovereignty, freedom and love for our homeland." Invoking the spirit of the Poilus, she urged collective action against hardship, noting that "faced with the misfortunes of the country, we cannot remain spectators or commentators." She further argued that national cohesion cannot be founded on amnesia or a loss of bearings.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the leader of La France Insoumise, opted for a distinct approach by traveling to Gentioux-Pigerolles in the Creuse department. The village war memorial is a highly symbolic site, featuring an inscription that reads "Cursed be war" and an orphan raising a fist toward the names of the fallen. Mélenchon’s visit was framed by pacifism and anti-militarism, themes he highlighted in his speech. He noted, "I come here because, like many others, I believe that whoever does not know their history and has not reflected on it is exposed to seeing it repeat itself, without being able to recognise its features when it comes. It is our mission, we Unbowed, to carry History." He reiterated his opposition to conflict, declaring, "Down with war! We will not wage it, we will not organise it, we will not prepare it!" This message echoed his recent political stance regarding the conflict in Ukraine, where he previously suggested consulting the inhabitants of the Donbas region—a proposal that drew criticism from Ukrainian diplomacy. During the event, Mélenchon also called for national unity and denounced racism and hatred.
Evoking the spirit of resistance and sense of duty of the Poilus, the name given to French soldiers during WW1, Marine Le Pen called for collective action in the face of hardship: "Faced with the misfortunes of the country, we cannot remain spectators or commentators," insisting that national cohesion cannot be built o
This proposal earned him a firm response from Ukrainian diplomacy, which recalled that Ukrainians, including the inhabitants of Donbas, had already chosen their borders at the 1991 independence referendum.
