Emmanuel Macron attends Bastille Day military parade in Paris amid growing discontent after disastrous French elections

French president Emmanuel Macron was today seen attending a military parade in Paris in honour of Bastille Day, amid growing political resentment following the shock election results earlier this month. French president Emmanuel Macron was today seen attending a military parade in Paris in honour of Bastille Day Bastille Day is the celebration of revolutionaries storming the Bastille fortress and prison in Paris, heralding the start of the French Revolution and the end of the monarchy The numbers are scaled back compared with previous years, because of Olympics security measures What does Bastille Day celebrate? This year's Bastille Day offers Macron a moment of distraction from the political turmoil he unleashed with snap elections that weakened his pro-business centrist party and his presidency. This year's Bastille Day offers Macron a moment of distraction from the political turmoil he unleashed with snap elections that weakened his pro-business centrist party People react after the second round of the French legislative elections results at Place de la Republique in Paris, France, 7 July 2024 The European Union's second largest economy, a nuclear-armed G7 power and permanent member of the UN Security Council, is rudderless With government in limbo and Macron barred by the constitution from calling fresh elections for at least 12 months, far-right figurehead Marine Le Pen is eyeing the 2027 campaign with relish Prime Minister Gabriel Attal is hanging on as caretaker head of government but the centrist has reportedly fallen out with Macron and is now focusing on his own future, taking charge of his reduced party in parliament.