Paris, Dec 22 (Reuters) — French President Emmanuel Macron has found himself at the centre of multiple controversies following accusations of racism, sexism, and homophobia, with his office vehemently denying the claims. The allegations have sparked outrage across political lines, with left-wing politicians condemning Macron’s reported remarks as highly offensive.
On Friday, Macron was accused of making racist comments about France’s emergency healthcare services. According to a report published in Le Monde, the president allegedly said, “The problem with emergency care in this country is that it’s filled with people called Mamadou,” in a discussion last year with his then-health minister, Aurelien Rousseau. Mamadou is a common name in West African Muslim communities, and the comment has been widely interpreted as racially insensitive.
However, the Elysee Palace swiftly denied the allegations, stating that the remarks had not been verified before Le Monde published the article. “The Elysee strongly denies these reported remarks,” an official spokesperson asserted. “They were not subjected to any verification by the presidency before publication.”
Despite this denial, the report has already sparked condemnation, especially from left-wing figures. Manuel Bompard, coordinator of the France Unbowed (LFI) party, described the alleged comments as “an insult to the Republic” and “an absolute disgrace”. Communist Senator Ian Brossat, also reacting to the report, labelled the remarks as “damning.”
The controversy surrounding Macron deepened when Le Monde published further allegations on Thursday. It claimed that the president referred to the office of Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, who is openly gay, as “La cage aux folles” – a reference to a famous French comedy featuring two gay men. Macron was also accused of making derogatory remarks about women, allegedly calling left-wing politicians Marine Tondelier and Lucie Castets, who had been proposed for the position of Prime Minister, “cocottes” – a disparaging term for women.
Tondelier responded sharply to the accusations, writing on X (formerly Twitter): “Yesterday we learned of extremely shocking homophobic remarks made by the president about Gabriel Attal. Today, they are sexist remarks. We are impatiently waiting for tomorrow.”
The uproar surrounding Macron’s comments has been further fuelled by a separate controversy during his visit to the French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte, which was devastated by Cyclone Chido last weekend. Macron, while addressing the local population, reportedly told a crowd of residents who had been criticising the French government’s response to the disaster: “If this was not (part of) France, you would be 10,000 times deeper in the shit.”
His comments were met with widespread condemnation, with Greens MP Sandrine Rousseau accusing Macron of adopting “an arrogant attitude” during his visit and lecturing the people of Mayotte about their situation. Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure also criticised the president, suggesting that his remark implied the citizens of Mayotte should be thankful for being French, despite the challenges they faced. “A president cannot say that. In which other French territory would the president lecture our fellow citizens by asking them to ‘please stop complaining about their tragedy since they are already lucky enough to be French’?” Faure said on X.
Macron’s presidency has often been marked by off-the-cuff remarks, some of which have caused public backlash. Notably, early in his presidency, he was heavily criticised for telling a young jobseeker that they could find a job “just by crossing the street”. Macron’s penchant for making provocative comments has earned him a reputation for being dismissive of ordinary French citizens.
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Political communication experts, such as Philippe Moreau Chevrolet from Sciences Po, have suggested that Macron’s penchant for sharp, provocative remarks could be a deliberate strategy, designed to assert control over public conversations. “Macron still relishes employing ‘the little phrase that dominates an exchange,’ even if it means further damaging his already authoritarian image,” said Moreau Chevrolet.
However, he noted that Macron’s comments during his visit to Mayotte were particularly damaging. “It was disastrous because it blurred the message of empathy and reconstruction that was the theme of the rest of the visit,” he added.
The timing of the controversies is especially sensitive as Macron grapples with a political crisis in France. The president’s decision to call for snap legislative elections earlier this year has left his government politically weakened. Recently, Macron appointed Francois Bayrou as his fourth prime minister of 2024 in an effort to stabilise his administration.
As the fallout from the accusations continues, left-wing politicians have seized the opportunity to criticise Macron’s leadership. “Everything goes there (at the Elysee) — racism, homophobia, sexism. All locked away inside a gilded palace, far from the gaze of the French, who he lectures all day long,” said left-wing MP Francois Ruffin.
With public outrage mounting, it remains to be seen how Macron’s office will address the growing scandal. The president’s approval ratings have already been on the decline, and the latest controversies threaten to further damage his reputation as he navigates the difficult political terrain in the coming year.
