Analysis
In his October 2020 address following Samuel Paty's murder, Emmanuel Macron stated that "Liberty, equality, fraternity are not just slogans but the foundations of our Republic" and warned that "fraternity is under threat" due to "Islamist separatism". The wording matches the quoted statement, though minor paraphrasing occurs. Multiple reputable news outlets reproduced the same sentiment from the official transcript.
Background
The speech was delivered after the killing of teacher Samuel Paty by an Islamist extremist, prompting a national debate on secularism and radicalisation. Macron emphasized the need to defend French republican values and to counter what he described as a new form of separatism linked to extremist ideologies. The remarks were widely reported and quoted in French and international media.
Verdict summary
Macron did say that liberty, equality, fraternity are the foundations of the Republic and warned that fraternity is threatened by Islamist separatism in his October 2020 speech.