NEW DELHI (Feb 19, 2026) — French President Emmanuel Macron has issued a sharp rebuke to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, urging her to stop “commenting on what is happening in other people’s countries” after she weighed in on the fatal beating of a far-right activist in Lyon.
The Incident in Lyon
The diplomatic spat follows the death of Quentin Deranque, 23, who succumbed to head injuries after being attacked by at least six people during a far-right protest at a Lyon university last week.
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The Suspects: French authorities have detained 11 individuals (eight men and three women) on suspicion of intentional homicide.
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Political Links: Investigative sources indicate most suspects are linked to far-left movements. Notably, the group includes two parliamentary assistants and a former intern connected to Raphael Arnault, an MP from the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party.
Diplomatic Friction
Speaking from the sidelines of an official visit to India, Macron fired back at Meloni’s Wednesday statement, in which she called the killing “a wound for all of Europe.”
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Macron’s Stance: “Let everyone stay in their own lane,” Macron said, emphasizing that France has no place for movements that “legitimize violence” from any side of the political spectrum.
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Internal Tensions: The killing has intensified political volatility in France ahead of the March municipal elections and the 2027 presidential race, where the far-right National Rally (RN) is polling strongly.
Calls for Restraint
Despite the political firestorm, the victim’s family is pleading for peace. A lawyer for Deranque’s parents stated they “call for calm and restraint” and “condemn any form of political violence.” Meanwhile, RN leader Jordan Bardella has blamed the Macron administration for “boosting” the hard-left, further deepening the domestic divide.
