By John Ikani
President Emmanuel Macron has quietly switched to using a darker navy blue on the official French flag, replacing the previous brighter shade.
The move saw flags in the new hue hoisted on the Presidential Palace last year without any accompanying fanfare.
The change was confirmed by the Elysée and was changed last year in a bid to reconnect with the French flag of 1793 – a symbol of the French revolution, according to Europe 1.
The decision was the subject of much debate within Macron’s Government, the news outlet reports as some of officials considered the new colour ugly while Macron felt the darker shade was more elegant.
The new flag is on display at Government buildings across the capital including Elysée Palace and the National Assembly.
The Élysée Palace has not publicly announced its change in flags, and no orders have been given for other institutions to do the same.
It is worthwhile to note that both the darker and lighter flags have been in use for decades.
France’s Navy and many official buildings around the country have always used the navy blue shade.
But in 1976 under President Giscard d’Estaing, the French State introduced a brighter blue on the tricolour to match the blue on the flag of Europe.
That decision was partly an aesthetic one, Europe 1 reports, because the French and European flags flew next to each other in so many locations.
Concerned individuals and groups insist that the colour change should not be interpreted as an anti-EU gesture, Europe 1 reports.
