French uproar as Macron vows to 'piss off' unvaccinated

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28. There is analysis below the article

Analysis box by Hugh Schofield, Paris correspondent
The airwaves in France are shrill this morning with the sound of angry politicians. From left and right, moderate and extreme, opponents are outbidding each other in condemnation of President Macron's emmerder.

In a pre-election period, it's an opportunity too good to miss to accuse him of all his old faults: arrogance, flippancy, detachment, ignorance of the concerns of ordinary folk.

But as this is indeed a pre-election period, we can also be certain the president knew precisely what he was doing when he uttered those provocative words in Le Parisien. This was no uncalculated outburst.

What he wants to do is flush out his enemies on the right. The left he's not so bothered about. But Valérie Pécresse's Republicans party (LR) has become - since her nomination as candidate - his main political preoccupation.

By taking such a strong and coercive position against the unvaccinated, Mr Macron is inviting the LR to choose their side. Are they with him, doing everything possible to boost the number of vaccinated? Or are they siding with the minority, the five million instead of the 50 million, and the anti-vaxxers?

Because if it's the second, that's actually quite an awkward place to be ahead of a presidential election.