A cordial and republican exchange: Bally Bagayoko thanks Emmanuel Macron for his support, albeit late, and highlights the shortcomings of the State

Bally Bagayoko, the mayor of LFI from Saint-Denis Pierrefitte (Seine-Saint-Denis), thanked Emmanuel Macron for his support – which he found late – in the face of racist attacks he was subjected to. During a meeting on Tuesday, Bagayoko handed Macron a letter denouncing the government’s shortcomings. Bagayoko stated that the President had wanted to reassure him, condemning racist acts and being uncompromising on the issue.

Since winning the first round, Bagayoko, of Malian origin, has been the target of controversial remarks on the CNews channel and numerous racist comments. The Paris prosecutor’s office opened an investigation for “public insult on the grounds of origin, ethnicity, nationality, race or religion” after the new mayor filed a complaint.

Emmanuel Macron visited Saint-Denis on Tuesday evening to attend a concert of students from the Lycée de la Légion d’honneur, an annual event. The exchange between the two men occurred during the President’s reception, in the presence of various local officials, before the start of the concert.

It was a cordial and republican exchange, with a handshake that lasted very briefly, according to the same source. Bagayoko announced that he took the opportunity to give Macron a “Stop Racism” T-shirt, echoing a gathering in early April where thousands of people came to Saint-Denis in response to his call.

Bagayoko also handed Macron a four-page letter expressing regret that the presidential support could not be publicly expressed when the attacks were most severe.

In the letter, Bagayoko alerted the President to major difficulties facing his municipality due to underfunding by the State. He highlighted the social and territorial inequalities that have been allowed to persist for many years.

The letter also addressed initial provisional measures for the 2026 school year, a reduction in resources that Bagayoko deemed incompatible with the national ambitions for educational success and the fight against educational inequalities. Bagayoko also pointed out significant dysfunctions at the sub-prefecture of Saint-Denis, where delays in obtaining and renewing residence permits have serious consequences for users, such as job loss and housing access difficulties.

In response to fake news, Bagayoko assured that the municipal police force and video surveillance system would be maintained, while criticizing the structurally insufficient national police force to meet the needs of the municipality. He expressed willingness to work with the government to address these issues and emphasized the importance of unity.

A republican march against racism is planned for May 3 in Paris, following the gathering on April 4 in Saint-Denis. Bagayoko invited Macron to join this event, highlighting the absence of government officials at the first rally.

— Context: Bally Bagayoko, the Mayor of Saint-Denis Pierrefitte, thanked President Macron for his support against racist attacks he faced. Fact check: The Mayor handed Macron a letter outlining the government’s shortcomings and invited him to a march against racism on May 3rd.