New Delhi: With Covid-19 cases going up again in his country and the world, French President Emmanuel Macron has a stern message for those opposing vaccination.
Using strong words against the unvaccinated, he said Tuesday he wanted to "piss off" them by restricting their movement across the country, news agency Reuters reported.
The remark drew criticism for Macron from several quarters, and especially opposition, ahead of the next presidential election that is four months away.
"The unvaccinated, I really want to piss them off. And so, we're going to continue doing so, until the end. That's the strategy," the report quoted Macron as telling Le Parisien newspaper in an interview.
France introduced a health pass system last year that prevents anyone without a PCR test or vaccination proof from entering restaurants, cafés and other such places.
According to the report, the government wants to turn it into a vaccine passport, which would mean only those who have taken Covid-19 shots can have a health pass.
"I won't send (the unvaccinated) to prison, I won't vaccinate by force. So we need to tell them, from Jan. 15, you won't be able to go to the restaurant anymore…won't be able to have a coffee, go to the theatre, the cinema..." Macron said in his interview, his first in 2022, to the French newspaper.
'A President Shouldn't Say That'
President Macron used expressions like "emmerder" — from ‘merde (shit)’ — that is considered "very informal" in French dictionary Larousse, the Reuters report said.
This invited criticism for Macron on social media.
"A president shouldn't say that," far right leader Marine Le Pen posted on Twitter.
Macron has been criticised for some of his remarks in the past too.
He is, however, a clear favourite in the April polls.
Macron said in the interview he had a good mind to run for re-election, but has not yet officially announced a decision to this effect yet.