Michel

Christophe Barthès, the Rassemblement National (RN) mayor of Carcassonne, France, is currently newsworthy for removing the European Union flag from the city hall. Barthès, who assumed office on March 29, 2026, is also a winegrower. This action has drawn attention because, despite his party's Eurosceptic stance and his symbolic removal of the flag, Barthès personally benefits from EU funding. He has been nicknamed the "Trump occitan". The removal of the flag is seen as a symbolic gesture reflecting the RN's broader political agenda. Separately, unrelated news reports detail concerns about violence in after-school programs in Paris, highlighting a broader context of social issues in France, though these events are not directly related to Barthès.