I talk ‘every day’ to Niger’s ousted president Bazoum: French President Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that he spoke on a daily basis with Niger’s ousted president Mohamed Bazoum, who has been removed from power in a coup.

“I speak every day to President Bazoum. We support him. We do not recognize those who carried out the putsch. The decisions we will take, whatever they may be, will be based upon exchanges with Bazoum,” said Macron.

Macron’s comments were published on the Elysee’s social media platform and were made as he spoke about educational matters to reporters in southern France.

Niger’s military government, which seized power on July 26, accused Macron on Friday of using divisive rhetoric in his comments about the coup and of seeking to perpetrate France’s neo-colonial relationship with its former colony.