French President Emmanuel Macron faced allegations of racism on Friday following a reported comment about hospital issues, which his office has vehemently denied, escalating controversy over remarks made during a visit to a cyclone-hit Indian Ocean territory.
In a series of articles published by Le Monde, Macron was also accused of making sexist remarks about female opposition leaders and a homophobic comment regarding a former prime minister he had appointed.
According to Le Monde, Macron allegedly stated during a discussion with his then-health minister Aurélien Rousseau last year that “the problem with emergency care in this country is that it’s filled with people called Mamadou.” The name Mamadou is commonly used among men from Muslim ethnic groups in West Africa.
The Elysee Palace strongly refuted the claim, stating that the remarks were never made and criticizing the newspaper for failing to verify the information with the presidency before publication.
Macron also faced backlash for comments made during his visit to Mayotte, a French Indian Ocean territory devastated by Cyclone Chido. Addressing a crowd that had heckled him over France’s disaster response, he reportedly said, “If this wasn’t part of France, you would be 10,000 times worse off.”
Greens parliamentarian Sandrine Rousseau criticized Macron’s approach, accusing him of exhibiting “arrogance” during his visit to Mayotte.
The alleged remarks prompted outrage among left-wing politicians. Manuel Bompard, coordinator of the France Unbowed party, called the reported statements “racist” and “an insult to the Republic,” while others demanded accountability.
In subsequent reporting, Le Monde claimed Macron referred to the prime minister’s office under Gabriel Attal, who is openly gay, as “La Cage aux Folles,” a term associated with a French comedy about two gay men. The newspaper also alleged he referred to female opposition leaders Marine Tondelier and Lucie Castets as “cocottes,” a derogatory term for women.
Tondelier condemned the alleged remarks on social media, stating, “Yesterday, we heard of shocking homophobic comments attributed to the president. Today, we hear of sexist ones. What’s next?”
The allegations have intensified scrutiny of Macron’s leadership and communication style amid growing political tensions.
