‘Gauls resistant to change’: Macron in hot water for ‘insulting’ the French

[PHDNM]

‘Gauls resistant to change’: Macron in hot water for ‘insulting’ the French

The French president was speaking during a trip to Denmark this week when he spoke of his admiration of the Danish economic model which combines flexibility and security (flexisécurité) when it came to jobs.

He went on to speak about the differences in the French and Danish cultures, which he believes have prevented France from following a similar model to Denmark.

"Let's not be naive," said Macron. "What's possible is linked to a culture, a people marked by their history.

"These Lutheran people (Danish) who have experienced transformations in recent years is not exactly the Gauls, resistant to change. (Gaulois refractaires au changement).

Opposition politicians lined up to blast Macron for showing "contempt" towards the French people.

"The 'Gauls' will be happy to respond to his arrogance and contempt", said Marine Le Pen.

Former minister for the right wing Republicans party Eric Woerth said Macron should not "complain"about his people.

Other politicians accused him of "humiliating" and "mocking" the French public.

It's not the first time Macron has had a dig at the French during a trip abroad for their apparent resistance to change.

Last year on a trip to Romania he said the French "hated reforms".

And then last September on a trip to Greece he said: "France is not a country which is open to reforms."

"France does not reform … because we rebel, we resist, we circumvent. This is what we are like," he told expatriates at a French archaeology school in Athens.

But the president hit back on Thursday and defended his latest rebuke of the French people's reluctance to accept reforms.

"It's not showing contempt to say the truth," said Macron.

"I have always said it. I think we are a country, and I'm the first, that doesn't like change or to make permanent adjustments, but we are a country that in the most serious moments throughout history knows how to transform itself.

"Others say 'France is a difficult country to reform . It's true. It's a country that doesn't reform."

The 40-year-old came to power last May vowing to overhaul France and "pull the country into the 21st Century".

Macron quickly already pushed through measures that his predecessors at the Elysée promised but failed to deliver, including controversial labour reforms that introduced greater flexibility to the jobs market by making it easier for employers to lay off staff.

However the reforms have hardly brought fundamental change to France's economic model.

http://norwaypost.net/2018/08/30/gau...ng-the-french/

[cyrus]

What is wrong with this Macron? How come rational, self-driven adult and independent French people can elect such a weird specimen? IMHO this guy is the quintessence of #RESIST movement, of uneducated insolent millenials, of "progressist" form without substance. He's making such a teenager-ish public statement that I'm in doubt about his mental capacity of processing information and respond accordingly. Reminds me somehow about the Louis de Funès character, a choleric hilarious hyperactive talking platitudes and when you least expecting throwing a stupidity...