Macron defends Gulf tour amid French political crisis

French President Emmanuel Macron defended his three-day tour of the Arabian Gulf on Wednesday, rejecting criticism over his absence from Paris following violent protests on October 17-18, saying he refused to cancel the trip to avoid showing "febleness." He received intelligence services at the Elysée for a security council meeting Thursday morning. Criticism mounted from political figures including former President François Hollande, who called Macron "absent," and former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe, who said the country "needs to be commanded." Macron visited Kuwait, Bahrain, UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia during the trip. Advisor François Heisbourg said several people tried to dissuade Macron from traveling, describing the journey as "lunar, out of touch," suggesting the president has not grasped the domestic situation.