Why did royalist newspapers criticize Maximilien Robespierre?

Royalist newspapers frequently attacked Maximilien Robespierre because of his prominent role as a radical Jacobin leader and his passionate advocacy for the ideals of the French Revolution.12

As Robespierre gained influence in the National Assembly, his commitment to revolutionary principles—such as universal suffrage, the abolition of the royal veto, and the defense of human rights—made him a primary target for those seeking to preserve the ancien régime. Royalist journalists used derogatory labels to discredit him, mocking him as a "monkey of Mirabeau" and a "Demosthenes" who blindly believed his own rhetoric.23

These attacks intensified as Robespierre became a vocal critic of the monarchy, particularly after he demanded the trial of Louis XVI following the king's failed flight to Varennes. By denouncing royalist intrigues and the collusion between the court and foreign powers, Robespierre positioned himself as a direct threat to royal authority, prompting increasingly violent slanders from the royalist press.23