Sat 25 March 2023:
The French president, Emmanuel Macron, received criticism for taking off a costly wristwatch during a TV interview about pension reforms.
During a prime-time national television program where he vowed to move forward with plans to raise the pension age from 62 to 64, he was seen briefly slipping his hands under the table and seemingly taking off his watch, further infuriating his critics.
The opposition politicians termed him president of the rich who “has never lived up to his name so well,” juxtaposing the move with his claims in the interview about minimum wage earners “who have never had so much purchasing power.”
The Elysee Palace claims that Macron did not remove the watch “in order to hide it – but because it was clinking against the table,” as reported by the Independent.
Disclaimer: Independent Press cannot independently verify the authenticity of photos and videos shared on social media
Petit jeu (facile).
Qu'est-ce qui disparaît entre ces 2 extraits ? pic.twitter.com/kkn0U8p1Gj— Caisses de grève (@caissesdegreve) March 23, 2023
The noise is clearly audible only a few seconds before the beginning of the video shared on social media,” the presidential palace said in a widely reported statement, which chimes with the audio in the viral clip.
The manoeuvre caught the eyes of the French audience and the clip has since gone viral.
Farida Amrani, an MP for the radical left La France Insoumise (LFI) party, said: “The president of the rich has never worn his name so well.”
The exact value of the watch is unknown. According to French media, it was made by the French company Bell & Ross and cost between €1,600 (US$1,725) and €2,400 (US$2,587).
In a statement, the Élysée said: “The president didn’t remove his watch in order to hide it but because it was banging heavily against the table. The noise is clearly audible only a few seconds before the beginning of the video shared on social media.”
An unnamed source in Macron’s entourage told French media: “He’s often worn it for more than a year and a half. You can see it on his Instagram account and in the official photograph by Soazig de la Moissonnière for example … he has also worn it for other events including the final of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and during his state visit to Washington last December.”
Millions of people have demonstrated in opposition to Macron’s reforms. According to Ifop, Macron’s approval rating has dropped to just 28%, the lowest since the peak of the Yellow Vest protests in 2018.
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES
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