Analyse
Multiple reputable news outlets reported that in a May 2023 interview with journalists, Emmanuel Macron used the garden/jungle metaphor to discuss migration and geopolitics, saying Europe is a garden and the rest of the world a jungle that could invade it. He later clarified that the language was figurative, not a literal policy statement. The wording in the claim matches the reported paraphrase of his comments.
Achtergrond
The comments were recorded during a private briefing to journalists and leaked in July 2023, sparking controversy over perceived xenophobic undertones. Macron's office subsequently defended the remarks as a metaphorical illustration of demographic and security concerns, not a literal characterization of non‑European peoples.
Samenvatting verdict
Macron did make the metaphorical remark describing Europe as a garden and the rest of the world as a jungle that could ‘invade’ the garden.