No political role for Brigitte Macron after backlash
Brigitte Macron, the wife of French president Emmanuel Macron, will not have an official political role, after a public backlash against a proposed change in her status.
President Macron has been forced to clarify that a 鈥渢ransparency charter鈥� over his wife鈥檚 role will be published by the Elys茅e Palace in the next few days, and has confirmed that she will have a strictly public - not political - role.
Reports had earlier suggested that Brigitte could take on the official title of 鈥榝irst lady鈥�, would have political responsibilities and even an official budget allocated to her role. The proposals were part of an electoral suggestion from Macron that he would seek to create a more equal role for partners of the head of state.
However, the idea has been roundly criticised in France, with over 300 000 people signing a petition against it.
The leader of the petition, Thierry Paul Valette, has explained that hiring his wife would be a 鈥渉ypocritical鈥� move for Macron, and go against a law that the president himself proposed, which would stop members of parliament from employing their family or partners.
In a series of Tweets on the issue, the secretary of State and Government spokesperson wrote:
鈥淏rigitte Macron plays a role, and has responsibilities. We want transparency on the budget she has access to. She receives over 200 letters per day, and maintains this link with the 麻豆传媒映画 with the utmost discretion.
He added: 鈥淸we want] no modification of the Constitution, no new budget, no job or payment for Brigitte Macron. Stop the hypocrisy! It鈥檚 just a question of transparency.鈥�
Some have been less critical of the role, including one comment from French opinion pollster J茅r么me Fourquet suggesting that a vote for Macron was also a vote for his wife, 鈥渟o the woman is present 鈥榠n the photo鈥欌��.
Journalist Nabila Ramdani, who has interviewed Brigitte Macron, has also written that the latter has every right to attempt to be 鈥渢aken more seriously鈥�, with her husband recognising the need to raise Brigitte鈥檚 position to something more equal than simply 鈥減artner of鈥� the President.
Some have suggested that opposing her role is a way of limiting her power, and therefore that of the President himself.
There is currently no precedent for official work done by the partner of a President, with all previous charity or public work financed from the Elys茅e鈥檚 own overall budget of 鈧�5m-鈧�7m 鈥渁s and when鈥� necessary.
