Officially called Elysée Fête La Musique, the epic rave attracted over 1,500 attendees, including President Macron and his wife Brigitte, and had a very impressive line-up, with such DJs as Kavinsky, Kiddy Smule, Céziare, Chloé and Pedro Winter, the former manager of Daft Punk, performing the best electro and house hits.
“Thank you all for this historic #MusicFest in Elysée!” Macron tweeted.
Merci à tous pour cette historique #FêteDeLaMusique à l’Élysée! pic.twitter.com/z7hxmxIM61
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) June 21, 2018
While Emmanuel and Brigitte seemed to be excited to host the first-ever electronic music event for the 37th edition of Music Day, French politicians and social media users didn’t appreciate the move.
“These steps saw De Gaulle, Kennedy, Trump and even Putin. And then this happened,” tweeted Jordan Bardella, spokesperson for The National Rally party (formerly known as the National Front).
Ces marches ont vu passer De Gaulle, Kennedy, Trump ou encore Poutine. Et puis il y a eu ça… pic.twitter.com/2rm9Cj5bXR
— Jordan Bardella (@J_Bardella) June 22, 2018
“Help! # MusicFest2018,” The National Rally leader, Marine Le Pen reacted.
Au secours! 😱 MLP #FêtedelaMusique2018 https://t.co/PxqDCVH9vA
— Marine Le Pen (@MLP_officiel) June 22, 2018
“Music Day last night at the @Elysee… We understand better why @EmmanuelMacron explained during the presidential campaign that "French culture does not exist"… It’s hard to ask young people not to call him 'Manu' after that!” added Yves d'Amécourt, the mayor of Sauveterre-de-Guyenne.
Fête de la musique hier soir à l’@Elysee… On comprend mieux pourquoi @EmmanuelMacron expliquait pendant la campagne présidentielle que « la culture française n’existe pas »… Compliqué après ça de demander aux jeunes de ne pas l’appeler « Manu »! pic.twitter.com/VpsCrmFyyG
— Yves d'Amécourt ن (@yvesdamecourt) June 22, 2018
“And now the jet-setters at the Elysée… De Gaulle wake up, they went crazy!” Eric Ciotti, a member of the National Assembly, tweeted.
Et maintenant les jet-setters à l'Elysée… De Gaulle réveille toi ils sont devenus fous! pic.twitter.com/Cvfn1WXEpx
— Eric Ciotti (@ECiotti) June 22, 2018
“#MusicFest2018 at the @Elysee! I am ashamed of this #Macronist Presidency! But where did the France from my childhood go? My France: proud of its identity, its culture, happy, prosperous, with full employment, safe, powerful in the world!” Bernard Monot, member of the European Parliament, said, joining his colleagues.
#FêteDeLaMusique2018 à l'@Elysee! J'ai honte de cette Présidence #Macroniste! Mais où est passée la France de mon enfance? Ma France: fière de son identité, sa culture, heureuse, prospère, avec le plein emploi, sûre, puissante dans le monde! @DLF_Officiel pic.twitter.com/xo0c2ly6kO
— Bernard Monot (@Bernard_Monot) June 22, 2018
Twitter users were outraged by the event, comparing it to previous festivals in the palace…
TWEET: “The same place, the same steps… but 60 years separate these 2 photographs. The most recent is the #Elysee under Macron’s five-year term… No comment.”
Le même endroit, les mêmes marches… mais 60 ans séparent ces 2 photographies. La plus récente est l’ #Elysée sous le quinquennat Macron… Sans commentaire. pic.twitter.com/9gvevVfTId
— Pascal Bauche (@pascalbauche) June 22, 2018
TWEET: “Music in the Elysee Palace, 1959 and 2018.”
Musique au Palais de l’Elysée,
— Objectif France 78 🇫🇷 (@ObjFrance78) June 22, 2018
1959 et 2018 pic.twitter.com/816eaU6JqQ
…and insisting that the Macrons should apologize for what they saw as an inappropriate party:
TWEET: “#Macron and his wife must apologize for this indecent party they have allowed in the # Elysee class for #FetedelaMusique2018! One of the places of power should not be held hostage by bad taste and obscenity.”
#Macron et sa sa femme doivent s'excuser de cette indécente fête qu'ils ont autorisé dans la cours de #Elysée pour #FetedelaMusique2018! Un des lieux du pouvoir ne doit pas être pris en otage par le mauvais goût et les obscénité.
— Cris06 (@CrisSpriet06) June 22, 2018
TWEET: “As scary as it is surreal!”
Aussi effrayant que surréaliste! 😱🤕 #Macron #Elysée pic.twitter.com/aU5Rul71sH
— Kevin Bossuet (@kevinbossuet) June 22, 2018
There were, however, those who enjoyed the party:
TWEET: “A memorable evening! Thank you @EmmanuelMacron & @Elysee.”
Une soirée mémorable! Merci @EmmanuelMacron & @Elysee 👏🏻
— Marie Silin (@mariesilin) June 21, 2018
TWEET: “Thank you @EmmanuelMacron for opening the doors to the Elysée! And thank you for the great sound of DJs who made us dance throughout the party!”
Merci à vous @EmmanuelMacron de nous avoir ouvert les portes de l’Élysée! Et merci pour le super son des Djs qui nous a bien fait danser tout au long de la fête!! pic.twitter.com/lLAjD7AwOu
— AZMI (@BrahimAzmi) June 22, 2018
🇫🇷#FêtedelaMusique at @Elysee #LGBTrights & #GenderEquality by PR @EmmanuelMacron pic.twitter.com/CrEzs4vrNe
— E. Macron Sweden (@MddMacron) June 22, 2018