French president postpones trip to New Brunswick amid election battle

French President Emmanuel Macron waits for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban Wednesday, June 26, 2024 at the Elyseee Palace in Paris. The New Brunswick government says Macron will not be visiting the province next month. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP -Thibault Camus

FREDERICTON — The New Brunswick government says French President Emmanuel Macron has called off a planned visit to the province next month.

A statement today from Premier Blaine Higgs's office said the province was notified by the French Consulate this week that the visit has been postponed but gave no further details.

Macron is embroiled in a divisive political battle with the first round of voting in France's high-stakes legislative elections just three days away, and a second round set for July 7.

Earlier this month, Higgs was criticized by the opposition for boasting that Macron's visit to Canada was the result of a trip to France last year by his tourism minister.

The Progressive Conservative premier announced in the legislature on June 6 that Macron would be visiting New Brunswick after a Liberal member criticized a costly one-week trip last September to France and the United Kingdom by the minister and three of her colleagues.

Higgs credited the trip for inspiring Macron's planned visit to the province, which he called "truly impressive."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2024.

— With files from The Associated Press

The Canadian Press