Macron admits to "pissing off" unvaccinated with Covid policy
The French president has admitted to intentionally making the lives of the unvaccinated more difficult.
French President Emmanuel Macron has sparked outrage after claiming that his vaccination policy is to "piss off" those who have not had their vaccines by making their lives more difficult.
In an interview with Le Parisien on Tuesday, Macron said regarding the unvaccinated, "I really want to piss them off. And we will continue to do this, to the end. This is the strategy."
Macron's comments came as the French parliament discussed new legislation that, if enacted, will mean that only individuals who have been completely vaccinated will be eligible for the country's health pass beginning next month.
The pass is necessary to enter many indoor public spaces such as restaurants, theatres, and music venues, as well as long-distance trains and airlines.
“We are putting pressure on the unvaccinated by limiting, as much as possible, their access to activities in social life.”
Although France has vaccinated nearly 90 percent of its population, Macron doesn't seem to think this is enough, saying that the only way to reduce the minority who resist is by "pissing them off even more."
He attacked the unvaccinated and dubbed them "irresponsible" and "not citizens."
He added “we have to tell them: from 15 January, you will no longer be able to go to the restaurant. You will no longer be able to go for a coffee, you will no longer be able to go to the theatre. You will no longer be able to go to the cinema.”
The comments brought a series of criticism from the President's political opponents who criticized him for using "excessive language."
Bruno Retailleau, the head of the right-wing Republicans in the Senate said “No health emergency justifies such words...Emmanuel Macron says he has learned to love the French, but it seems he especially likes to despise them.”
Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally notorious for dehumanizing Muslims by comparing them to Nazis during the second world war, said Macron was "turning unvaccinated into second-class citizens."