On the anniversary of 9 Thermidor, three deputies of La France Insoumise have caused controversy by staging a tribute outside the Maison Robespierre in Arras.
Their action has provoked accusations of historical naivety, notably from the Minister for Transport Clément Beaune on Twitter. In an interview with Figaro, historian Loris Chavanette comments that Robespierre himself would not have appreciated comparison to the modern French Left.
Loris Chavanette: «Robespierre aurait-il apprécié la comparaison avec les Insoumis ?» (lefigaro.fr)
Jean-Clément Martin observes that we remember Robespierre but forget others who were more extreme Terrorists and democrats. In Thermidor Robespierre was engaged in complex political manoeuvres; he played a dangerous game and lost. As a result he has been artificially demonised / glorified in the eyes of posterity.
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