French President Emmanuel Macron don warn say im plan to make life difficult for pipo for France wey neva collect Covid-19 vaccine.
“I really wan hassle dem, and we go continue to do dis – reach di end,” im tell French tori pipo Le Parisien newspaper.
But political opponents say di strong language wey im use for di interview no dey worthy of a president.
Im comments make MPs suspend debate on one law to prevent pipo wey neva collect di vaccine from enjoying plenty public life.
Di debate for National Assembly dey on hold for di second night now as opposition delegates complain about di president language, wit one leading politician wey describe Oga Macron tok as “unworthy, irresponsible and premeditated.”
Di law bin suppose dey approved through vote dis week, but e don provoke vaccine opponents and many French MPs say dem don receive death threats over di issue.
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Several European kontris dey introduce mandatory vaccinations, and Austria dey lead di way for pipo wey don pass 14 years starting from next month while Germany dey plan similar move for adults.
For im interview wit Le Parisien on Tuesday, Oga Macron say while im no go “vaccinate by force,” e hope to encourage people to get di jabs by “limiting as much as possible di access to activities in social life.”
“I no go send [unvaccinated people] to prison,” im tok. “So we need to tell dem, from 15 January, you no go fit go to restaurant again. You no go fit go for coffee again, you no go fit go to di theatre again. You no go fit go to cinema again.”
Di word wey Oga Macron use – emmerder – na harsh word meaning to annoy and, four months before di French presidential election, e make opposition politicians react strongly.
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“No health emergency justify dat kain words,” Bruno Retailleau, Senate leader of the right-wing Republicans tweet. “Emmanuel Macron say im don learn to love di French, but e be like say im despise dem.”
One of di main candidates for di presidency, Valérie Pécresse of di Republicans, say she provoke say di president don accuse pipo wey neva collect vaccine of not being citizens. “You have to accept dem as dem dey – lead dem, bring dem togeda and no insult em,” she told CNews.
Far-right leader Marine le Pen tweet: “A president no suppose say dat… Emmanuel Macron no dey worthy of im office.”
Meanwhile, leftist politician Jean-Luc Mélenchon describe di comments as “astonishing confession”. “E clear say, di vaccination pass na collective punishment against individual freedom,” im add.
President Georges Pompidou use similar language for 1966, but, unlike Macron, im say time don reach to stop annoying di French. But Macron friend Christophe Castaner tok on Wednesday say “di tok no shock anyone wen e commot for Pompidou mouth.”
France get one of di highest Covid vaccination rates for EU, as more dan 90% of di adult population don collect double-jab, and Oga Macron don highlight di about five million people wey neva collect vaccine.
For months, France don ask pipo to show either proof of vaccination or negative Covid test to enta many public venues.
But di French goment wants to remove di option to show negative test sake of increase in infections, as a result of di Omicron and Delta variants of Covid-19.
On Tuesday, di kontri report 271,686 new daily Covid cases – di highest number of daily infections wey France don record since di start of di pandemic.
Macron still neva officially declare im go run for second term but e tell Le Parisien for Tuesday interview say im wan to run and go clarify im decision “once di health situation allow am”.
