After five months as the French President, Emmanuel Macron had his first ever television interview, in which he had to deny being a President for the rich.
In an interview on TF1, Macron defended his politics and denied the label given by critics saying that pitting people against each other simply sparked “sad emotions” within France.
Macron told three journalists in the 74-minute interview that he made the decision to water down the wealth tax to keep the rich in the country.
“I don’t like this French jealousy of saying: ‘these people are rich, let’s tax them,”’ he said. “For our society to succeed, we need people to succeed.”
Having been criticised in the past five months for insensitive comments including “the lazy” in society, Macron maintains he has been misunderstood.
“I do not want any citizen to think that I don’t have the fullest respect for them,” he said. “I will continue to breathe the air, to exchange with our citizens, to say what I think.”
Having so far avoided a TV interview, Macron took on the challenge after his ratings fell over the summer.
Hoping to gain a new wave of support, the French President is hoping to begin his proposed “radical transformation of France”. The centrist leader is hoping for a shift towards the loosening of labour laws in favour of businesses, which he claims will help all workers.
Macron has been criticized of being ‘cut-off’ from the working class in France, particularly after cutting housing benefits, watering down the wealth tax and allegedly disparaging striking workers.
Macron’s challenge now seems to be winning over left-wing voters, who voted for his party in the election but since seem to be turning away.
The interview was held at the Elysee presidential palace, in a small room instead of the president’s office.