[ad_1]
PORTO, Portugal – Epidemiologist-in-chief, think-tanker-in-chief and now shrink to the European press — there is apparently no end to French President Emmanuel Macron’s talents.
At an EU summit in the Portuguese city of Porto on Saturday, Macron decided reporters were in need of some analysis over their response to U.S. President Joe Biden’s call to waive coronavirus vaccine patents.
“I ask you the, European press, an almost psychological question,” said Macron, his voice growing animated in response to a reporter’s question about Biden’s move.
“When a year ago, we Europeans launched ACT-A [a global scheme to fight the coronavirus], you didn’t say ‘Oh, you Europeans have the moral leadership! And ah, the U.S. isn’t following you!’” Macron said.
“And when the U.S. follows us, which is in fact what is happening … you say ah, the U.S. has the leadership!” Macron said.
In fact, the reluctance of the United States under Donald Trump’s presidency to get involved in global initiatives to tackle the pandemic was widely reported. In an interview with POLITICO published last year, Melinda Gates said it was European leaders who understood the need for global cooperation.
But why let the published record get in the way of a good psychoanalysis?
“You’re giving me the impression that you are waking up, you didn’t follow the movie,” Macron went on, visibly irked. “I can’t treat your complexes, I don’t have any.”
In recent days, Macron has seemed increasingly exasperated with comparisons to the Biden administration. He has repeatedly insisted to reporters that it is the U.S. playing catch-up on climate, on vaccine solidarity, and on fighting online hate speech and terror content.
Not that he has any kind of complex, of course.
[ad_2]
Source link
