Macron urges Seine booksellers to stay put for Paris 2024 opening day. GETTY IMAGES

The French president has spoken out in favour of keeping booksellers in their historic locations on 26 July. Initially, they were to be temporarily evicted, but Macron has asked the interior ministry to halt the move. The booksellers had already begun legal proceedings.

French President Emmanuel Macron has intervened in the dispute over the eviction of booksellers from the banks of the Seine for the Paris Olympics, deciding that they should remain in their historic locations, according to a statement released on Tuesday. 

Macron "has asked the Minister of the Interior and the office of the Prefect of Paris to ensure that all booksellers are preserved and that no one is forced to move," said a statement from the president's office, as reported by AFP.

Booksellers have been a symbol of Paris for 150 years. GETTY IMAGES
Booksellers have been a symbol of Paris for 150 years. GETTY IMAGES

The measure was already in force and affected hundreds of booksellers working in small green stalls along the Seine, who were to be temporarily evicted before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games on 26 July. 

Faced with this situation, the head of the Paris Booksellers' Cultural Association likened their relocation to a "tooth extraction". The organisation announced last month that it would take legal action to stop the process.

Booksellers have been a feature of the city for more than 150 years, and after a difficult time during the pandemic, they saw the arrival of 16 million tourists in the city as a silver lining. Of course, they would be missing the best possible opportunity if they were forced to move during the opening ceremony, which will be held on the banks of the Seine.  

Booksellers on the Seine see Paris 2024 as an opportunity after the difficult pandemic period. GETTY IMAGES
Booksellers on the Seine see Paris 2024 as an opportunity after the difficult pandemic period. GETTY IMAGES

For the first time in history, the opening ceremony will be held outside the stadium. And it happens to be along the Seine, where the booksellers are.

The possible eviction of the booksellers was based on security concerns; the municipal police, under the supervision of the government-appointed prefect, had ordered the removal of around 600 of the 900 book stalls on the grounds that they could be used to hide explosives.

An attraction for booksellers is the number of tourists that Paris will receive. GETTY IMAGES
An attraction for booksellers is the number of tourists that Paris will receive. GETTY IMAGES

The move was also seen as a way of freeing up space for spectators along the riverbank. Around 300,000 ticketed fans are expected to attend. Macron's intervention reflects concerns about the impact on public opinion of removing a feature of Parisian life. It also reflects growing criticism of the disruption to daily life caused by the Games.

Complaints are mounting in Paris, some about the construction work, others about the handling of last year's ticket sales, which left many Parisians out of the market. Polls suggest that the vast majority of French people support the Olympics. A poll in November found that 65 per cent of respondents were in favour.