This archive report was first published on 5 January 2022.
Published on January 5, 2022, French President Emmanuel Macron's comments on unvaccinated people have sparked widespread outrage.
Macron used a slang term, emmerder, to express his intention to make life difficult for those who have not been vaccinated, stating that he wanted to 'piss them off' and limit their access to public venues.
His remarks were made in an interview with Le Parisien newspaper, where he said that from January 15, unvaccinated people would no longer be able to access restaurants, cafes, theaters, and cinemas.
Opposition figures, including right-wing Republican candidate Valérie Pécresse and far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, have condemned Macron's language as unworthy of a president.
Macron's comments have also been compared to those made by former French President Georges Pompidou in 1966, who used the same slang term to express his frustration with the French people.
France has one of the highest Covid vaccination rates in the EU, with over 90% of the adult population double-jabbed, but the government is now considering removing the option to show a negative Covid test in response to record increases in infections.
