“No, we are not proud of Gérard Depardieu”: François Hollande responds to Emmanuel Macron

“Gérard Depardieu is an immense actor, he has delivered the most beautiful texts. He is a genius of his art. (...) He makes France proud,” said Emmanuel Macron in a special program “C à vous” on France 5 last night. Comments which did not seem to please François Hollande, invited to the microphone of Léa Salamé. “He (Emmanuel Macron, Editor’s note) spoke about Gérard Depardieu, his talent, the presumption of innocence. I'm going to tell you about the 14 women attacked. I'm going to tell you about humiliated women. I'm going to tell you about the women who were upset by the images they saw. I'm going to talk to you about all these women who, through Gérard Depardieu, see what violence, domination, contempt can be. This is what was expected of the President of the Republic, accuses François Hollande. It’s about talking about women and not simply saying that Gérard Depardieu was a great actor.” “No, we are not proud of Gérard Depardieu.” insists the former tenant of Faubourg Saint-Honoré who, for a bit, would have brought out his famous anaphora.

Emmanuel Macron also gave his opinion on the proposal by the Minister of Culture, Rima Abdul Malak, to remove the artist from his Legion of Honor. “Am I going to start withdrawing the Legion of Honor from artists or officials when they say things that shock me? The answer is no,” declared the President of the Republic in an affirmative tone. Before adding that the Legion of Honor was not there to preach. His predecessor at the Élysée retorted, still at Léa Salamé's microphone: “What the Legion of Honor must be for all those who receive it is pride, because it is an action accomplished in the service of the general interest.”

Asked about the words “manhunt” regarding Gérard Depardieu used by his successor, François Hollande tempers: “That’s often what is said. I know the excesses, I also know the accumulation of what social networks can be.” Before becoming indignant: “But we must also speak clearly and say what action for women requires: he made this cause the major issue of his five-year term and this is how he deals with the question of Gérard Depardieu... »