French President Macron Vows To "Piss Off" France's Unvaccinated: Here's What He Said

French President Emmanuel Macron has warned he intends to make life difficult for people in France who have not been vaccinated against Covid-19. "I really want to hassle them, and we will continue to do this - to the end," he told France's Le Parisien newspaper.

Macron's explosive interview

The president raked a controversy after he threatened vaccine-resistant French citizens using derogatory terms, saying that he wants to ¡°piss off¡± the unvaccinated [emmerder in french]. The infuriated French leader warned people in France who have chosen not to get vaccinated, stating that he would annoy them by limiting their access to public venues, bars, restaurants, and every place outdoor and will hamper key aspects of their social lives.

Reuters

¡°I don¡¯t want to piss the French people off. But as for the non-vaccinated, I really want to piss them off (emmerder). And we will continue to do this, to the end. This is the strategy,¡± Macron told the Le Parisien newspaper in an explosive interview, openly challenging the non-vaccinated citizens. He further clarified his statement, stressing that this would mean ¡°limiting as much as possible their access to activities in social life.¡±

¡°So, let me tell them,¡± irate Macron said, ¡°From January 15, 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,¡± he warned in a condescending tone with the Le Parisien newspaper¡¯s reporter. He continued his scathing verbal remark against French citizens refusing vaccines, stressing, that they are no longer considered French citizens. ¡°When my freedom threatens that of others, I become irresponsible. An irresponsible person is no longer a citizen,¡± Macron said.

'Health pass' mandatory legislation

French president¡¯s tough remarks came as the French cabinet prepared to pass parliament legislation that will make new ¡®health pass¡¯ compulsory to visit outdoor public facilities instead of a negative COVID-19 test.

AFP

This would mean that the citizens will have to get vaccines mandatorily in order to socialize or do any sort of movement¡ªessential or non-essential within France.

¡°I am not going to put them (the non-vaccinated) in prison, I am not going to ¡®forcibly¡¯ vaccinate them,¡± Macron asserted in his remarks, clarifying his non-tolerance towards the unvaccinated population which is said was behind the mounting caseload of France that recently crossed 10 million mark.

Faced massive backlash

But political opponents said the strong language he used in the interview was not worthy of a president. His comments prompted MPs to suspend debate on a law barring the unvaccinated from much of public life.

File Photo

The session in the National Assembly was halted for a second night running as opposition delegates complained about the president's language, with one leading figure describing it as "unworthy, derogatory, irresponsible and premeditated".

The legislation was expected to be approved in a vote this week, but it has angered vaccine opponents and several French MPs have said they have received death threats over the issue.

Mandatory vaccinations are being introduced in several European countries, with Austria leading the way for over-14s from next month and Germany planning a similar move for adults.

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