Secret Plan to Evacuate Macron from the Elysee Palace Amid Protester Threats

A report by the British newspaper "The Telegraph," published on Friday, revealed that French President Emmanuel Macron has a secret refuge in the suburbs of Paris, which he could use if protesters stormed the Elysee Palace. This information comes from a new book by three French investigative journalists titled "The New Army of Shadows."

The book, authored by Pierre Gastino, Antoine Isambert, and Franck Renaud, is based on interviews with high-level sources within French security agencies. It reveals preparations for the possibility of widespread unrest during the presidential elections scheduled for 2027, including riots, vandalism, cyberattacks, and even the potential for an armed insurrection.

The report explained that plans to secure and evacuate the president partly stem from the "Yellow Vests" protests of 2018, when Macron faced a hostile situation during a visit to the city of Le Puy-en-Velay. This incident prompted officials to reconsider presidential protection measures, recalling the events of February 1934, when violent disturbances in Paris led to the fall of the French government.

The authors noted that French agencies fear the repercussions of the upcoming presidential election results. A victory by Marine Le Pen, leader of the right-wing National Rally party, could trigger a new wave of protests led by far-left groups, suburban youth, and rural activists if they refuse to recognize the election outcome.

Conversely, a victory by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the left-wing "La France Insoumise" party, could lead to what the book describes as "passive resistance" within the police force, amid fears that some officers might refuse to cooperate with a government led by the far-left.

According to the report, Paris Police Prefect Patrice Faure held repeated meetings to discuss preparations for the possibility of an insurrection. Meanwhile, the General Directorate for External Security (DGSE), France's foreign intelligence agency, conducted simulations of scenarios involving external interference in the elections.

Paris police also trained to operate for a full day without encrypted smartphones, anticipating a large-scale cyberattack that could disrupt security communications.

The book quoted a senior intelligence official who warned, since last April, that France was heading toward major unrest due to rising fuel prices and accumulating public anger since the Yellow Vests protests.

The report highlighted that intelligence agencies misjudged the scale of the October 17 protests, estimating participation between 60,000 and 150,000 demonstrators, while actual numbers exceeded half a million, according to the book.

The journalists also revealed that French special forces studied the possibility of deploying troops to protect Parliament in the event of an armed insurrection.

In conclusion, the newspaper quoted a former special forces commander warning against deploying soldiers on French streets, expressing concern that rulers might become accustomed to using the military to confront internal unrest.