It was the French radio station Europe1 that came out with the statement: the three colors that symbolize France suddenly look different. Change in blue color that has become darker. “Emmanuel Macron touched the symbols of our country without talking about it,” Europe 1 recalls.
The decision to darken the blue of the French flag, from cobalt blue to dark blue, is said to have been made on July 13, 2020. A few days before the country’s national holiday. It was Arnaud Juliens, the former director of the Elysee, and Bruno Roger Petit who came up with the proposal. A darker blue would be more elegant, according to the president’s companions, and therefore better suited to the country. The main reason appears to be the reconnection with the French flag of 1793. In short: the revolutionary beginnings of the French Republic. At that time, the blue color of tricolor flag It also looks darker. The color was not lightened until the 1970s to better match the blue of the European Union flag.
Secretly
Surprisingly, President Emmanuel Macron allowed the flag to change color without talking about it. Although in theory it should not. The Elysee also did not send instructions to set all the flags in the country.
There could have been an internal discussion about the color change in the presidential palace. Some employees believe that the flag is now in conflict with the European flag, and this move can also be considered anti-European.