French parliament suspends debate on Macron's 'piss off' comment

French parliament on Wednesday suspended a debate that went on to discuss President Emmanuel Macron's comment in which he said he wanted to 'piss off' unvaccinated people. The French president had made the remark in an interview with Le Parisien newspaper on Tuesday.

Calling unvaccinated people 'irresponsible', Macron said that he planned to make their lives so complicated that they would end up having a vaccine.

The interview was published shortly before lawmakers were to resume a debate over the new legislation, which will make it mandatory for people to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter a restaurant or cinema, or take the train.

Macron's comments quickly derailed action in the chamber after it resumed late Tuesday, again suspending examination of the bill and jeopardising the government's timetable for it to come into force.

The president of the session Marc Le Fur said the atmosphere in the National Assembly did not offer "conditions for a calm working environment".
The head of the right-wing Republicans (LR) in the chamber, Damien Abad, slammed "unworthy, irresponsible and premeditated" remarks which showed "childish cynicism".

Meanwhile the party's leader Christian Jacob said the group "refused to endorse a text which aims to piss off the French".

The controversy has erupted amid an increasingly febrile pre-election atmosphere in France. Macron said in the interview he wants to stand for a second term in April's presidential vote but that declaring his intentions now would distract from managing the health crisis.

(With inputs from agencies)