Macron Criticized for Removing Expensive Watch During Pension Interview
Mr. Macron, whose opponents have long accused him of being a president of the wealthy, was being interviewed amid violent protests and strikes across France.
Emmanuel Macron has been criticized for removing his expensive watch during a television interview regarding pension reform.
After Mr. Macron pushed through a law raising the retirement age by two years to 64 without a vote in parliament, violent demonstrations and strikes are occurring throughout France.
Emmanuel Macron has been criticized for removing his expensive watch during a television interview regarding pension reform.
After Mr. Macron pushed through a law raising the retirement age by two years to 64 without a vote in parliament, violent demonstrations and strikes are occurring throughout France.
The video of Mr. Macron removing his watch during the interview, which was broadcast on French news channels, has gone viral, with political opponents claiming it demonstrates he is out of touch.
In the video, the French leader uses his hands to express himself while speaking, before placing both of them beneath the table.
When he returns his hands to the table, the watch is gone.
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According to the French leader’s representatives, he removed the watch because it was “clinking on the table.”
Clemence Guette, a member of the left-leaning opposition party La France Insoumise, tweeted that while Mr. Macron claimed minimum wage earners had unprecedented purchasing power, “the final image” was him “remov[ing] his pretty luxury watch.”
Farida Amrani, also a member of La France Insoumise, stated, “The president of the wealthy has never carried his title with such distinction.”
According to the Elysee Palace, claims made by social media users that the watch is worth up to €80,000 (£70,500) are false.
According to the palace, Mr. Macron was sporting a Bell and Ross BR V1-92.
One of the watches is available for $2,600 (£2,100) on the Bell and Ross website.
In a statement, the palace said, “He has been wearing it regularly for more than a year.”
Mr. Macron’s political adversaries and detractors have long accused him of favoring the wealthy and even acting like a want to be monarch.
Meanwhile, the widespread unrest in France has caused the postponement of King Charles’s first state visit.
The British and French governments made a joint decision after trade unions requested an additional day of nationwide strikes and demonstrations during the planned visit of the King and Queen Consort.
Mr. Macron stated that the trip would likely be rescheduled for the beginning of summer.
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