Emmanuel Macron addresses the chaos in France over pension reform at 1pm on Wednesday. But one surprising detail, at least, caught viewers’ attention during this televised interview. In fact, at one point, we see the leader take off his watch at full time, and this gesture, at least to tell a story, was enough to set the powder on fire.
So Clemens Gutte, vice-president of France Insomise, posted a screenshot on his Twitter account: “Finally a picture of this interview: when talking about the ‘Smigards’ who have no ‘purchasing power’, he discreetly removed his charm. A luxury watch from under the table. This man is a farce,” he affirms. Social networks are also quick to pass on this version of the story.
Contacted by BFMTV, Élysée denied the allegations: the clock would have caused noise on the desk, prompting Emmanuel Macron to remove it to avoid further inconvenience. Also, the French president is not talking about “smigards” this time, as Clemens Gutte declared, but about excesses across the country.
The scene in question takes place around the 10th minute of the interview:
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