Jean-Luc Mélenchon is calling for a parliamentary vote after Emmanuel Macron announced that France would send military resources to Saudi Arabia, according to Le Figaro. The La France Insoumise leader said France should not become a party to the conflict, asking what the country would do if a base were struck.
Macron's announcement came as France contends with a fuel price surge, Le Monde reports. The president said military means would be dispatched to Saudi Arabia and did not rule out cutting taxes, according to the same outlet.
Opposition to the deployment has come from both ends of the political spectrum. Le Figaro reports that LFI and the Rassemblement National both object to sending French troops to Saudi Arabia.
Mélenchon's demand for a vote reflects a broader argument over whether such a deployment should require parliamentary approval. His remark about France not becoming a belligerent, reported by bfmtv, frames the move as a possible entry into a Middle East war rather than a purely logistical or economic measure.
The fuel crisis has also produced domestic measures. France's trade minister encouraged French residents who qualify to apply for aid aimed at high-mileage drivers, franceinfo reports.
What to watch next is whether the government agrees to put the deployment to a parliamentary vote, and whether Macron follows through on a possible tax reduction as fuel prices remain high.
