Macron faces pushback over plan to send soldiers and defence systems to Saudi Arabia

President Emmanuel Macron's decision to deploy military support, including soldiers and defense systems, to Saudi Arabia amid Houthi attacks has sparked criticism from French political parties ahead of upcoming presidential elections. The French government framed the operation as a defensive measure to maintain regional stability and control energy prices.

The announcement followed a similar UK decision to provide air-to-air refueling support for Saudi fighter jets. However, details on the deployment's specifics, such as troop numbers and deployment locations, remain undisclosed.

The opposition stems from concerns about France's lack of a mutual defense agreement with Saudi Arabia, unlike the UAE. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen questioned Macron's decision, suggesting France should focus on Turkey and Pakistan for support. She posited that the President's motives might be undisclosed. Jean-Noel Barrot, the French Foreign Minister, defended the move, stating it was purely defensive and that France had a history of deploying military assets to protect allies and partners.

Both the far-right and hard-left parties in France have called for parliamentary debate and blocking fuel price increases, citing the threat to Saudi oil exports from Houthi attacks.