French party leader says Americans should return Statue of Liberty

The leader of a French political party has asked the United States to return the iconic Statue of Liberty to France, saying that “Americans have chosen to side with the tyrants”.

Raphaël Glucksmann, leader of the Place Publique party (centre-left), made the demand during a speech on Sunday, March 16, at the end of his party’s congress.

He said: “We are going to say to the Americans…give us back the Statue of Liberty. We gave it to you as a gift, but apparently you despise it. So she'll be very happy here with us.”

The congress, whose audience included some 1,500 campaigners for scientific freedom, welcomed the message.

Mr Glucksmann, who has been a strong defender of Ukraine since the Russian invasion, made the call amid criticism of US President Donald Trump's involvement in the conflict, and America’s recent censorial approach to certain scientific researchers (particularly those who research ideas of gender).

He said: “If you want to fire your best researchers, if you want to fire all the people who, through their freedom and their sense of innovation, their taste for doubt and research, have made your country the world's leading power, well, we are going to welcome them [in France].”

‘Democratic resistance’

Mr Glucksmann also called for “democratic resistance” to counter “the Trump and Musk fan club in our country”. He said that this “club” was part of the far-right, and has called for a “force” to fight back. 

In a flyer, seen by the AFP (and reported by French media including Le Figaro), Mr Glucksmann called for the creation of a “force that carries weight, that acts, and that preserves our motto ‘Liberty, equality, fraternity!’, and is trained in actions to combat “the far-right international”.

He said that this group also included Russian President Vladimir Putin, and long-time presidential hopeful (and leader of the Rassemblement National) Marine Le Pen.

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The world-recognised 93-metre-tall Statue of Liberty was created by the Frenchman Auguste Bartholdi in the 19th century, with contributions from engineer Gustave Eiffel (of the iconic Tower of the same name). 

Read also: Gustave Eiffel: Revealing the man behind the Eiffel tower 

It was offered as a gift to the United States by the people of France to commemorate the countries’ alliance during the US War of Independence (1775-1783). It was unveiled on October 28, 1886 - 10 years after originally planned - to celebrate 100 years of the American Declaration of Independence. 

It now stands on Liberty Island in New York, south of Manhattan, close to Ellis Island, and in 2023 received 3,739,605 visitors.

It is also the unmistakable view for all passengers who travel on the city’s Staten Island ferry.

The demand for the statue’s return comes four years after France sent a smaller replica (2.3 metres) of the larger statue in May 2021, four months after President Joe Biden took office. This was intended to “pay homage to all those who enabled the installation of the first Statue of Liberty, and those who have fought for what she represents all over the world”.

Read also: France to send second Statue of Liberty statue to United States

The smaller statue was also seen as a symbol of renewed Franco-US relations at the time. It is now installed in the gardens of the French Ambassador to the US in Washington DC, where it is visible from the public street.

The plan is for it to remain in place for 10 years, on an agreed loan from the Quai d'Orsay Conservatoire.