Topline
French President Emmanuel Macron faced fierce backlash Wednesday after saying his administration's coronavirus restrictions are intended to ‘piss off’ and make life hard for the nation’s vaccine holdouts, according to media reports, stalling parliamentary debate as the government tries to push through tough new legislation barring the unvaccinated from most public spaces.
French President Emmanuel Macron said the government's policies are meant to annoy the unvaccinated. ... [+]
Key Facts
Proposed legislation barring the unvaccinated from accessing most public transport and venues like bars, restaurants, cinemas and gyms has stalled in French parliament after politicians objected to remarks Macron made in Le Parisien newspaper.
Macron said the government’s strategy is to really “piss off” the unvaccinated, according to a translation by AFP, “limiting as much as possible their access to activities in social life.”
It is the second time the bill’s passage has been delayed in parliament this week after opposition lawmakers forced a delay in debate Monday.
If passed, the law would tighten requirements for France’s existing Covid pass—needed to access most public venues—by removing options for testing or recent recovery.
Crucial Quote
Macron, defending the policy, said: “When my freedom threatens that of others, I become irresponsible. An irresponsible person is no longer a citizen,” according to a translation by The Local and AFP.
Key Background
Debate over tighter vaccine requirements come as France is facing record levels of coronavirus infections. It is one of the hardest hit countries in the world and one of just six to report more than 10 million coronavirus infections since the pandemic began. Vaccine hesitancy has significantly challenged uptake in France and the country was one of the first in Europe to introduce tough limitations on accessing public spaces, a move which prompted thousands to protest. Despite successes in boosting vaccination, some 5 million people in France remain unvaccinated.
Tangent
A new coronavirus variant was identified in November in 12 people in southern France. There is limited data on the variant but its high number of mutations concerned some scientists. The World Health Organization said the variant is on its “radar,” noting that while “it’s too early to speculate,'' the “virus had a lot of chances to pick up” and spread since being first identified.
Further Reading
WHO Official Downplays Coronavirus Variant Found in France (Bloomberg)
