France's Emmanuel Macron aims to get more people vaccinated by limiting their social lives


French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said the government won't "vaccinate by force," but does have a plan that he hopes will push the remaining holdouts to get their COVID-19 vaccines.
The French parliament has delayed a vote on a bill that would require a vaccine passport in order to take public transportation or enter public venues, with some exceptions; it is expected to pass later this week. Under current rules, people have been able to get into establishments by showing a negative COVID-19 test result.
In an interview Tuesday with the French newspaper Le Parisien, Macron said the goal is to encourage vaccinations by "limiting as much as possible their access to activities in social life." The message needs to come across that "from Jan. 15, you will no longer be able to go to the restaurant," Macron added. "You will no longer be able to go for a coffee, you will no longer be able to go to the theater. You will no longer be able to go to the cinema."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
One part of Macron's interview caught the attention of his rivals, including right-wing leader Marine le Pen and Bruno Retailleau, president of the Republicans group in the Senate. Using a French slang word, Macron stated that he wants to "piss off" people who are not vaccinated. Retailleau told Agence France-Presse that "no health emergency justifies such words," while le Pen tweeted, "A president shouldn't say that ... Emmanuel Macron is unworthy of his office."
With the highly contagious Delta and Omicron variants in play, France recorded 271,686 new COVID-19 infections on Tuesday — its highest daily number since the beginning of the pandemic.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
5 health-conscious cartoons about anti-vaccine rhetoric
Cartoons Artists take on RFK Jr's militant methods, the viral lottery, and more
-
September 13 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Saturday's political cartoons include court-approved racial profiling and America's moral compass
-
Giorgio Armani obituary: designer revolutionised the business of fashion
In the Spotlight ‘King Giorgio’ came from humble beginnings to become a titan of the fashion industry and redefine 20th century clothing
-
Russia slams Kyiv, hits government building
Speed Read This was Moscow's largest aerial assault since launching its full-scale invasion in 2022
-
China's Xi hosts Modi, Putin, Kim in challenge to US
Speed Read Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Asian leaders at an SCO summit
-
Russian strike on Kyiv kills 23, hits EU offices
Speed Read The strike was the second-largest since Russia invaded in 2022
-
UN votes to end Lebanon peacekeeping mission
Speed Read The Trump administration considers the UN's Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to be a 'waste of money'
-
Israeli double strike on Gaza hospital kills 20
Speed Read The dead include five journalists who worked for The Associated Press, Reuters and Al Jazeera
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American cities
Under the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
Kyiv marks independence as Russia downplays peace
Speed Read President Vladimir Putin has no plans to meet with Zelenskyy for peace talks pushed by President Donald Trump
-
Trump halts Gaza visas as Israelis protest war
Speed Read Laura Loomer voiced her concerns over injured Palestinian kids being brought to the US for treatment and a potential 'Islamic invasion'